Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light
by ShadowsOfMyFormerSelf
Summary: Carla Thompson's path of destruction is a long one. Not only does it span continents, but also decades. This will be the time. It has to be. There's no way they can find her in this backwater tiny town. Right? M for Smut. Eric/OC.
1. The Prologue

**Welcome to my new fic, this is only a prologue, so please feel free to leave me any feedback you wish, if you want to know more, and what me to continue, please do tell me! Thanks a bunch!**

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**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter one - The Prologue

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The night was creeping slowly towards the evening sky, heralded by the clawing darkness reaching up from the horizon and pulling imaginary ropes attached to the dying sun, slowly pulling it down towards the edge, into the abyss.

The sky was dark and angry, covering the streaks and tinges of orange, red, yellow and purple that would usually be visible at sun set, the clouds seemed angered by their losing battle with the night, their grip on the sun slowly failing, as it inched closer and closer.

The clouds threatened to open and let forth their wrath, but like an undisciplined child, the darkness continued to strain and pull, tempting fate.

Carla couldn't remove her eyes from the sky, its bleak nature spoke volumes, and she almost felt as if she were in the same position, looking in a mirror to see the turmoil within herself. She shifted her shoulders, re-positioning the dead weight of her few essentials to a more comfortable position on her back. Letting a sigh escape her lips, she glanced behind her, for the last time, while she still stood within the barrier, before beginning her decent down the opposite side of the hill, towards the outside world, and towards freedom.

Within her few steps the will of the clouds suddenly cracked, and they unleashed their fury in roaring thunder and beating rain, almost drenching her instantly with the amount and force of the downpour.

Suddenly Carla heard hurried foot steps behind her, running towards her position.

"LA!" Carla froze at the voice, wondering whether to remain here or to bolt.

"LARA!" came the voice again, this time closer, and more urgent, she knew he was only just a few steps away from seeing over the peak of the hill. She still had a few seconds to run, to hide.

"LARA! WAIT!" Clive threw himself over the peek, and began to slide down the sodden ground of the other side, stopping a few steps from Carla, panting heavily.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING LARA?!" He had to yell over the sound of the pounding rain. "COME BACK WITH ME, IF THE ELDERS FIND YOU HAVE GONE MISSING, STRAIGHT AFTER THE CEREMONY, YOU KNOW THEY WILL COME LOOKING FOR YOU!"

Carla stood completely still, her head bowed against the strong winds and his accusing eyes. She remained silent, though she had lots to say, she knew none of it would make him realize how she felt.

"COME WITH ME LA, LET'S GET BACK TO THE TOWN, AND GET BACK TO THE HOUSE, NO-ONE WOULD HAVE TRIED TO VISIT IN THIS WEATHER, AND SO CLOSE TO LOCK DOWN, PLEASE, COME BACK WITH ME. NO-ONE WILL EVER KNOW THAT YOU TRIED TO LEAVE!" Clive was slowly sinking into the mud, as the ground became more and more water logged by the second.

Carla simply shook her head, taking an unsteady step back.

"YOU GO BACK, I HAVE TO DO THIS, THERE IS NO CHANGING MY MIND!" The deluge didn't let up for a moment, lightening shot across the sky, as the sun finally disappeared below the horizon. The first shots being fired in the war between light and dark.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!"

"GOODBYE, CLIVE!" Carla turned away from him.

"LALA, PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE!" Clive reached out, about to catch her shoulder. Carla turned her head to the side, so he could hear her.

"IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU'LL LET ME GO, AND TELL NO-ONE WHERE I HAVE GONE!" Clive stood absolutely still, his hand hovering in the air. Rain drops landed explosively on his arm, before tracing a hasty path around the hairs, to the bottom, before dripping off onto the ground.

Carla's soft amber hair was sodden and clinging to her face and neck, she began to walk away from him, not looking back. Clive stood completely still, as if paralyzed by her words.

A rush of wind blew past her, as if removing all the air from her body, making her limbs weak and her head spin, informing her she was leaving the barrier. She took a deep breath of air, this was pure air, the air of the free, unshackled people.

Taking a few moments to breathe in the fresh breeze, as the energy came back into her limbs, and her head cleared, she took her first look at the outside world. The world she had been told was a desolate, unending wasteland turned out to be no different than her own, filled with life and growth, and without the heavy burdens and closed doors of her home, her prison.

Realizing that the heavens were still very much open, she turned to the closest cover, a patch of high trees with an expansive canopy to shelter her, she made for them. Making sure to hurry along, knowing that Clive may well have gone back to the elders, in which case she would have to keep moving throughout the night, and keep her ears alert for any sound that might indicate a follower.

It would be a long night, a night in which she may lose her life, but it was all worth it, to escape that place.

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**Several years later**

Carla sat up against one of her kitchen cabinets, half alive, desperately clutching a wad of tea towels to her side, her mind racing and her heart pumping erratically.

As the first rays of morning began to stream through her windows, she studied her options like the fine print of a contract written in blood. The light coming in through the windows illuminated the dust particles that hovered lazily in the air, looking for a place to reside, but not being able to actually settle there, as small gusts of air kept them suspended perfectly.

The light also betrayed the large pool of blood slowly tracing a path along the kitchen floor, dripping steadily from the saturated tea towels. Carla's chest heaved, taking in painfully heavy breaths.

Carla closed her hand around another clean tea towel, balling it up and quickly swapping it for the one against her side, revealing the deep wound in her side, but only for a second.

Swapping her bloodied hand for her clean one, she reached up for the counter above, closing her hand around the edge, shifting her legs to turn herself over, readying herself for the pain to escalate.

Carla sucked in a deep breath, and pushed herself up, forcing her legs to work, letting out a pained groan that would have been louder if she had not bitten down on her tongue. Suddenly in the morning sunlight, she felt so much better, the light bathed her skin and she began to softly shine, tearing the tea towel away from her side so the sun could reach there too. This caused the skin to pull together, scab over, and then completely heal into normal flesh.

Letting out a slow breath, Carla smiled dropping the towels to the kitchen floor and grabbed her keys, heading for the back door.

When she got outside she quickly realized that her car was looking in very bad shape, to the say the least. All windows broken including the windscreen and her tyres slashed. She sighed, glancing around for ideas.

Her eyes were drawn to her neighbour's car, which still sat immobile in their driveway. Carla scolded herself internally, but headed for the short fence, stepping over it and reaching for the handle. Of course, locked.

Walking up the driveway and out onto the street, Carla glanced both ways, warily checking if the car vandal was still around, desperately hoping that he had left after sun up. Surely knowing that he had no chance of disposing of her during the day.

Walking down the street she decided her best chance was to hitch-hike, either with or without the drivers consent.

Running through a few blocks of houses, before finally coming to the side of a motor way, she wandered along the road. Knowing that this was the road going south from her current area of residence, Sioux Falls, out of South Dakota.

After about three hours of ceaseless walking, her hand held out beside her indicating that she needed a ride, she heard a heavy lorry pulling into a lay by as she walked past. Being one of the few vehicles on the road, she turned around and inspected the face of the man sitting behind the wheel, he was quite skinny, but not underweight, and from what she could see he had a large bushy moustache and slicked back greasy hair, with two equally bushy eyebrows. As he pulled the lorry to a stop beside her, he indicated with his hand that she should open the down and get in, she complied.

"Well hello there, where you headed, Missy?" the man asked, with a smile that bent up the corners of his moustache.

"Where's the end of the line?" Carla asked, closing the door behind her as she sat herself down in the seat next to the man. Now sitting next to him she realized that he had a medium sized bulge of a belly sticking out under his T-shirt, showing that he was not completely skinny.

"End of the line's New Orleans, Louisiana, goin' through Omaha, Kansas city, Little Rock, Shreveport before then. You're welcome for the whole journey if you can stand my company for that long" His smile never faltered, and Carla gave her own, half-hearted polite smile, doing her best to make it seem genuine.

"Thank you very much for your kindness" Carla strapped herself in, putting her elbow up on the door handle, and resting her head on her palm.

"Oh you're more than welcome… does get awful lonely on these long hauls" The man turned back to the road, steering his way out of the lay by and back into the traffic.

"What's your name?" The man asked, his eyes focused on the road, but his mind focused on conversation. "I'm Pete"

"Penelope" Carla smiled, hoping that three states away would be far enough, though in the back of her mind she knew otherwise.

"You running from something the Penelope? Or is it just a surprise un-booked holiday?" Carla could tell Pete meant it as a joke, but was surprised by how obvious her situation appeared.

"You could say it was something like that" Carla said, her eyes fixed on the road, her mind flashing back.

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**As said previously, review, etc, tell me what you think! **

**-Shad out! ^^**


	2. Another New Life

**Welcome back! Good to see you! Hope you enjoy this chapter! And feel free to review, follow, favorite and all that jazz, really helps me out, and shows me you want more! Many thanks and kind regards, Shad. ;)**

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**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter two - Another New Life

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The light crept through a convenient crack in the brown curtains, the ones with the odd 70's look to them with different sized circles with zig-zag patterns within them. The light of the morning sun shone confidently into the room, knocking the lingering darkness out of the way in its adventure into the room. It found a small exposed arm, sticking out from under and equally old looking blanket, with the same old fashioned pattern embroidered onto it, spread across a dilapidated couch.

Around the room were the same out dated patterns and colours on the wall paper, carpet and arm chair, which had matching cushions. Three of which we piled up on the arm chair itself, while the fourth was nestled under the head of a sleeping body, that was also draped in the large blanket. The body didn't stir, even though it was already late into the afternoon.

Without any sort of warning shot or shout, the door flung open, colliding with the wall dangerously fast, causing the door handle to connect with the small hole in the wall where the door had been opened several times this way, and the door handle had caused the wall to slowly chip away.

"Wakey! Wakey!" shouted an obviously over active and happy voice, the woman ran around the sofa and stopped in front of the curtains, grabbing hold of them and yanking them apart, allowing the sun to fully stream into the room. The body underneath the blanket curled up into a tight ball and yank the covers up over its head.

"Hey! Paula! Don't be such a couch potato!" The girl shook the ball shaped body on the couch by pushing on her back with her hands. Paula did not stir; she simply laid there and let out a deep, unsatisfied groan.

"You have work in 3 hours an' you still need to sort out your mail" The woman huffed, placing two knuckles underneath her chin as if in deep thought, a small frown sliding onto her face, looking as if she was about to give up and leave the body there.

"Fine" the shape named Paula moaned out, reluctantly peeling back the blankets as if peeling back a plaster from a painful wound.

"Cool!" the woman chirped, racing back out of the room just as suddenly as she had entered, and at the same energetic speed.

Paula was in fact Carla, living under a new alias, in another new life. Swinging her legs around and sitting up straight. Carla stretched her arms up high, removing all the tension from her stiff muscles, before standing up and walking around the sofa, towards the still wide open door through which her disturber had come.

A soft humming sound came from the kitchen, which was adjoined to a small dining room, opposite the kitchen door was the wash room and bathroom, and at the end of the corridor was the single bedroom of the house, occupied by Carla's roommate, Sammy.

"Your clothes are in the wash room! On the line! They should be dry by now!" Sammy called from the kitchen, where she was preparing breakfast for Carla and a snack for herself.

Carla made her way into the wash room, glancing up at the clothes line above her, pulling down her uniform, deciding to get ready for work before eating.

Walking through the room to the bath room door, Carla locked herself inside, taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror, while leaning heavily on the sink. Her eyes had huge bags underneath them and she had a positively terrible case of bed hair, looking into her own eyes that stared so determinedly back at her. She wondered how long she would have to keep restarting her life, and removing herself from her previous one.

Stripping her clothes off down to her flesh, Carla released her hair from its tight bun, her amber hair spilled out in a curly mess of sweet liquid, flowing down her back and hanging just at the end of her rib cage. Stepping into the shower she let the warm water hit her for about ten minutes before she finally swiftly washed herself off and lathered her hair, finishing up in record time.

After towel drying her hair and pulling it back into another tight bun, pulling on her uniform, shorts, T-shirt, apron and notebook, with small flat soled shoes, glancing up at herself in the mirror. Carla sighed before unlocking the bathroom door and heading out to the kitchen, where food was already laid out on the table along with place mats, cutlery, and Sammy sitting up in front of her buttered toast. As Carla sat down, she glanced up at Sammy, giving her a small smile.

"Thanks, Sammy" She said, looking down at her scrambled eggs on toast with a glass of lemonade. "That's really nice of you, it looks delicious" Sammy smiled, and they both began to tuck into their meals.

"Well it's good to know I am good for something" Sammy said, through a mouthful of toast, before stuffing some more in on top of that. Sammy was a lovely girl, and she would have gone far in the catering industry, if she didn't happen to make the mistake of getting in with the wrong crowd. She was in her late twenties now, a V-addict and waitress at a posh French restaurant just outside Bon Temps. She needed help to pay for the rent on her single bedroom bungalow and Carla needed a place to live, so this is how the two met, through an ad in the local paper.

They had been living together now for five months and Carla had just been given her first job, of which this was her first day, or night, as it was the night shift, or late afternoon shift. It was at a bar and grill which was quite famous in Bon Temps.

Sammy was tall, skinny, and blonde, with a bob hair style and striking pale blue eyes, her eyes were heavily accented by make up as well as her lips, and she had many bangles around her wrists, each of which told a different story from a different moment in the woman's life. Her wardrobe usually consisted of shorts skirts that showed off her skinny, long legs. As well as tight tank tops that enhanced her figure and arm length. Her hands were adorned with three rings each, something about things not being symmetrical the girl hated, and her nails were long, uncut, and panted in neon pink.

Carla, however, was of a medium height and wider hips, her legs were skinny and long, while her torso was slightly shorter. She had long arms with cracked and un-kept nails; no makeup was worn on her face or anywhere for that matter, exposing her real skin. Her hair was naturally feathered with the sweeping fringe. She was not particularly muscular and fit, but she had enough strength to carry out daily tasks.

After finishing up her delicious breakfast, she took both of the plates and cutlery, and washed them up in the old porcelain sink. Followed by drying them up and putting them back in the dish rack, ready for when she and Sammy got home.

Finishing this job, Carla lent on the kitchen counter, the dish towel still in her pale hands that were balled into tight fists, she let out a strained sigh, glancing at the clock, quarter to five, time to get in the car and go. Carla pushed her nervous thoughts about this new job to the back of her mind for later. She walked to the front door, pulling her coat, bag and keys from the precisely placed hooks in the old wall; she called back to Sammy, who ran out into the hall from her bedroom. The front door was right next to the bedroom, so it didn't take long and she threw her arms around Carla.

"Have a great first day Paw!" Carla smiled at this new nickname Sammy had thought up for her, hugging her back, giving her a reassuring pat in the process.

"Just, don't go to those hill-billys for V again after work… please Sam, it's going to get you killed if you continue this way" Carla pushed out, trying to maintain a determined expression.

"I know, Paula, I'm not a child anymore, and you're not my mother. I can look after myself, besides, I have no money, and I don't get paid until Friday… and that money is strictly for rent" Sammy smiled, a smile that was so convincing, but also so vulnerable.

"Some people need to be mothered, whether they're children or not, Sam" Carla gave a sad smile, going out the door and locking it behind her before Sam could reply. She got in her car and drove off towards her new work place, her Beethoven CD kicking in with its classical chimes.

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Upon arriving at Merlotte's bar and grill, Carla entered in the back door and put her belongings on her designated shelf, before heading out of the owner's room to find her spot behind the bar. Her job was to serve drinks and chat to town's folk, she plastered her fake business smile on, and proceeded to wipe down the counters ready for the dinner time rush of customers.

A medium height blonde woman with her hair pulled back into a high pony tail, and a red head at about the same height with an equally high pony tail were sat at the counter leading through to the kitchen, where a black man with a bandanna on his head lent heavily on the counter. They were all looked at her as she looked away. She could feel their eyes boring into her back, making her want to scratch her neck until it bled, and dig her nails into the hard wood of the bar, just to expel her heavy feeling of awkwardness and the unmistakable feeling of being judged.

She closed her eyes lightly, ready to open them immediately if she was addressed or approached, concentrating on the soothing sound of wind inside her head, cooling off her anxiousness.

"Hi!" Carla flicked her eyes open, meeting with the eyes of the blonde in front of her. "I heard you were the new bar tender! Sam's been saying you're very good-" Carla smiled, half fake and half genuine, happy that the woman was friendly, but also slightly annoyed by her obnoxiously perky voice. However Carla gave her the benefit of the doubt and chose to speak with her. The red head stood next to the blonde, waiting for Carla's reply.

"I'm quite good, I don't like to blow my own horn as such" the blonde smiled, and glanced at the red head, and then back to Carla.

"Well… make me a Gin and tonic!" the blonde requested, as if testing her cocktail making skills.

Carla shrugged and collected together the ingredients from the shelves at the back of the bar. Putting them in a small glass as not to use too much of the alcohol, putting the gin and tonic water into the glass and stirring well. Before shoving a lime carelessly on the side of the glass and handing it to the blonde.

She looked at the drink, and then to Carla, before taking a sip. A smile spread across her face, and equally on Carla's.

"Wow-, that is very good!" The blonde exclaimed, and the redhead snatched the glass, also taking a sip.

"You know what, that is pretty damn good, come on, make another" The red head agreed in a southern drawl.

"Well what do you want?" Carla shrugged as she asked, looking at the red head.

"A dry martini" the red head glanced at the blonde with a wide grin, as Carla stepped back and swivelled around, pulling down a mixing glass and throwing some ice cubes in. Chucking in some gin, dry vermouth and stirring the ingredients for about thirty seconds before pouring it into a chilled cocktail glass and skewering some olives and laying them in the glace for garnish. She handed the glass to the red head, placing the mixing glass in the sink ready to be washed up.

The red head accepted the drink and took the first sip, raising her eye brows, and giving a satisfactory nod, savouring the taste by holding the beverage in her mouth for a few seconds.

"Amazing!" the red head grinned, as the drink was refused by the blonde.

"I better not, I'm one of the worst for holding alcohol" she giggled. "Well, where does one learn to mix drinks like that?"

"Well, my mother was a bartender, and my father a drunk, it sort of runs in the family" Carla gave a small smile; the two said nothing, though the truth was simply that Carla had a supernaturally accelerated learning process. But she knew her false story would help to strengthen her facade life.

"But I get the feeling I won't be mixing many drinks in this town, more just lots of pints" Carla smiled, and the two chuckled a little, breaking the silence.

"My name's Paula by the way" Carla introduced herself, taking the two glasses from the side and emptying them in the sink washing them up quickly and skilfully.

"Arlene" the red head said, offering Carla her hand, which she shook. Not seeing any rings, she assumed the woman was single.

"And I'm Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse" Sookie simply smiled, not offering Carla her hand, so she finished washing up, and started to dry the glasses.

"Are you new around?" Sookie continued.

"No, I moved in from outside the country, wanted to get as far away as possible from the folks. You know, I figured half way across the world would be good enough, I'm originally from Australia" Carla ceaselessly described, spinning yet another lie.

"Oh… no accent?" Arlene asked, a questioning smile on her face, her head slightly cocked to the side.

"Unfortunately not, my English teacher was a tough old bat that made sure we pronounced everything correctly, so no accents allowed" Carla smiled, and then noticed Sookie's hardening look of concentration.

As soon as she noticed this, a screeching headache attacked her head, her body heaved and her stomach churned. She felt as if she was going to puke her guts up, leaning over the sink she was stood in front of, she wretched uncontrollably, within seconds Arlene was at her shoulder, looping her arm around hers. All of the colour and heat had drained from Carla's face, and her previous meal came up into the sink in a lumpy mess.

"Oh my-… Jesus!" Arlene's alarmed voice came from Carla's side, as quickly as the feeling had come over her it completely disappeared, and Carla felt quite perky.

Carla let out a groan, and then Sookie was at her side, looking extremely concerned, more than Arlene. Though Sookie had an obvious look of guilt about her.

"Are you okay!?" Arlene asked, looking at the still slightly pale face of Carla.

"I feel absolutely fine" Carla stood up straight, and Arlene retrieved her hand, and glanced at Sookie, and then back to Carla, seeing the colour flow back into her face.

"Are you sure? You seemed like you were nowhere near alright just then" Arlene looked unsure, and Sookie just kept that same plainly guilty face on.

"Honestly, I don't know what it was, but I'm sure I'm fine now" Arlene glanced at Sookie again, and then shrugged.

"If you're sure, but if you really start feeling bad, we can get someone else in to cover the bar. We had another waitress, part time, but she can also double as a bartender" Arlene explained.

"No, honestly, I'm fine. If it happens again though, I'll go home" Arlene sighed, as if defeated. But she nodded in agreement.

"Alright then"

Just as Arlene finished, Sam Merlotte, the owner of the bar and grill, wandered around the corner. He laid his eyes on the three women.

"You three ready? The first of them are coming in now… chop chop-" Sam smiled at the three. Sookie nodded, rushing to meet the first few people coming in through the door.

Arlene gave Carla a smile, and slowly followed after Sookie.

The night went pretty slowly, with plenty of pints, and hardly anything more exotic, apart from the odd whiskey shot.

When the business quietened down, and the last few customers were finishing their meals, Arlene and Sookie came over to watch the news. It was playing on the TV that hung from the ceiling above the bar.

The headline scrolled continuously under the male news reader, who was conducting a rather heated interview between some religious fanatic who was anti-vampire by the name of Reverend Theodore Newlin and a vampire rights representative called Nan Flanagan.

The reverend was very determined to convince viewers that there should be an anti-vampire agenda put in place in the US. While Nan Flanagan was arguing for a pro vampire agenda, giving vampires the same human rights as humans, a supposed amendment to current legislation.

Arlene, Sookie, Carla, Sam and even the cook, who introduced himself to Carla as Lafayette, were all watching the television.

"You ever had any vampires in here?" Carla asked, wiping down the bar again, and washing up the last of the cups.

"No, not a single one" Sookie admitted, her eyes still fixed on the television.

"Though Sam did buy some Tru blood, should the occasion arise" she continued.

"It spoiled before we got anyone in though" Sam admitted.

"That's a shame…" Carla trailed off.

"I think they must be very interesting to meet" Sookie commented, focusing on the television.

"Who?" Arlene questioned.

"Vampires… I mean, imagine how many things some of them must have seen, wars, and so much history" Sookie smiled absentmindedly.

"Well, you'd certainly never get bored would you- I suppose that may be the only good thing" Everyone looked at Carla then, as she moved on to wiping up the pint glasses in the sink.

"Have you met a vampire Paula?" Sookie asked, now interested.

"A few" She replied simply, shrugging.

"What were they like?" Sookie asked. Carla thought hard about this, knowing that 'they wanted to kill me' would be a very bad answer.

"Quite interesting. They have a different view on life than us, for them, they'll be around forever if they're not killed, but with us, we live every day like it's our last, and death is right around the corner. Their past means more to them, because it can be so vast and unending, their memories and experiences shape who they are, much like us, but they are much more mature than us. Especially the longer they have been alive, they learn to get things right, where it may take a human its whole life time to get something right"

Their eyes widened at her in depth explanation, Sam huffed.

"Sounds like you know an awful lot about vampires"

"Did you have one as a partner or something? It seems like that sort of personal information would come from a vampire themselves…" Arlene questioned.

"No, I've never been with anyone" Carla confessed, packing away the last of the dry pint glasses.

"Just like Sook then, this bitch never gets any action. An' I know plenty who would take some of that sweet cream, eh girl?" Lafayette added, showing a cheeky smile, before wandering back towards the kitchen to clean up.

"Hey!" replied Sookie. "Ever thought I may have not found the right guy yet?" she retorted. Carla smiled at the woman.

"I don't think I should be getting into relationships when I still live with my Gran anyway… I think she's all too old fashioned for that" Sookie admitted, as if she was trying to inform someone in the group that she definitely wasn't interested. She glanced around the whole group, her eyes lingering on Sam.

"Quite, I live with a roommate… So I'm in the same boat" Carla agreed.

"Is she new to the area too?" Arlene asked, as Sam now had his eyes locked on Sookie, who was staring up at the television again.

"No, she's the Browers kid, the last one left. They all died in a house fire a couple years back, had a bad effect on her from what I hear." Carla glanced down at the tea towel in her hands, thinking of Sammy.

"She has drug trouble" Carla looked up again, realizing she had said it out loud, and mentally scolding herself. "But don't tell her I told you that, she finds it quite personal, she cried into my shoulder for a whole afternoon after I found her"

"Poor girl" Arlene frowned.

"Quite" Carla put the tea towel down, stretching her arms in and letting out a squeaky yawn.

After the last patron left, Carla helped the two waitresses clean up the tables ready for the next day, and then emptied the bins into the large one out the back. Finally she got in her car to leave for home at lock-up.

* * *

She pulled her car up into the driveway, next to Sammy's. Getting out and locking it up, she headed in the front door, hanging her bag, coat and keys up where they were earlier in the evening. She called to Sammy, but got no reply, heading into her bedroom first, and then through the rest of the rooms, taking the lounge last.

As she entered the lounge, she saw Sammy's small form on the couch, her legs sprawled out. Carla gave her a nudge, she didn't respond.

Walking around the couch after turning the main light on, Carla noticed the small vial held in her hand, which still had a small amount of red residue inside. She snatched it out of her hand, sniffing the opening. Vampire blood.

Carla let out a brief low growl, crouching down in front of her friend, shaking her limp body. She was completely out of it. Standing up, Carla began to pace, before becoming enraged and throwing the vial against the wall, causing a small splat of blood on the wall paper and a hail of tiny shards of glass littered the carpet.

Carla lent down and picked up Sammy, she was so skinny it was an easy task, and Carla quickly carried her down the corridor. Laying her down on the bed, Carla propped her head up on the pillows. Carla sighed; thoughts swirled around inside her head, looking down at the woman lying there on the bed, completely lifeless. This was the exact effect V had on Sammy, she passed out, and then had 'trips' in her sleep, anything to get away from reality, she'd say.

Carla forced herself to sit down in the wicker chair next to the bed. Sammy's work clothes were thrown onto it carelessly, showing that she had changed her mind about going to work tonight.

Carla buried her face in her hands, knowing she would have to wait until morning to speak to Sammy. She got back up and headed down the corridor again, back to the lounge, where she laid down with her single cushion and large blanket ready to sleep, even though she knew she would not be able to. She laid there, for what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes.

Staring at the sofa, she forced her eyes closed; trying desperately not to think about the implications of the V Sammy had taken, where she had gotten it? How or what she had paid for it? Who had she gotten it from? How much had she taken?

Carla sighed; she was ready for a long and boring night of little to no sleep.

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**Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed with one! Please feel free to review and tell me what you think, if you like the idea and want me to continue with it! Thanks again! See you next time i hope! Shad out. :)**


	3. Murder

**Hello again! Thank you for joining me! It's great to have you back, and good to know that people are interested in my story, i know it is a slow start, but i will soon get into the action, i just need to get the story of Sammy out of the way, believe me, she is simply a plot helper, and will help to hold some characters together in later chapters, as well as giving some characters some common ground. You will have to wait and see for the details! I hope you enjoy this one as much as i enjoyed thinking of it and writing about it!**

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**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter three - Murder

* * *

That morning, Carla sprung up at 4:00 exactly, as she could no longer simply lie on the sofa and pretend she was getting some sort of rest, when she simply wasn't.

Walking down the corridor in a determined fashion she swung the door to Sammy's bedroom open, causing it to noisily slam into wall. Laying her eyes on the woman who was now resting in a different position in the bed, Carla knew that this meant she was awake.

"Sammy!" Carla shouted in a determined voice.

A muffled groan came from the woman, whose face was covered by the corner of a pillow she had burrowed her face into.

Carla walked around the side of the bed and yanked the covers off the woman, with a sudden and violent pull, which pulled Sammy onto her back, facing towards Carla.

"Hey! Paula- what the hell?" Dark rings had formed around Sammy's eyes, and she looked even more pale than usual. You could tell something was terribly wrong, and the V was slowly being expelled from her system.

"I should ask you the same question, what the hell happened to you last night?!" But Carla already knew the answer.

"Nothing, I just felt unwell when I got into work, so I came home" Obviously she had forgotten that the vial was left in her palm.

"Don't you fucking spin that bullshit to me, you're on the juice again- I saw the vial!"

Sammy looked down, like a child who had been found with a bag of stolen sweets.

"Who was it from this time?! Hmm!? Who's selling you it?!" Sammy remained silent. Carla lent down and grabbed her arms, making the woman look up at her.

"WHO IS IT, SAMMY?! TELL ME!" Sammy had tears welling up in her eyes, but Carla could not let it affect her, all of this was for Sammy's own good. She didn't like to upset the woman, but she had to, to have a chance of saving her.

"I don't know! Please!" Sammy began to sob.

"Listen, please, don't get overly emotional- I'm trying to help you, you know that V is expensive and we don't have the money to throw at that stuff! We barely have enough to pay for this house together, let alone the food and the bills as well, we barely scrape past and that's the two of us!"

"I'm sorry okay! I just can't stop myself!" Sammy sniffed, pulling the snot that was dangling from her nose back up inside, continuing to sob uncontrollably.

Carla let out a long sigh, scratching the back of her neck.

"How much did you have?" Carla asked, completely calm.

"Two ounces" Sammy managed to choke out.

"Do you realize how fucking expensive that stuff is Sammy?! How the hell did you pay for it?!"

"I didn't" Carla's eyes became completely stoic.

"Did you steal it?" Sammy took some quick breaths, slowing her breathing right down to its normal speed before she spoke.

"Yes" Sammy met Carla's eyes, completely serious. "There's no way they will be able to find out, I left no trace, honest, we're in the clear!"

Carla rolled her eyes, resting her face against her open palm, not being able to speak.

"Paula, we are fine, honestly" Carla said nothing, she just stared down at the woman, speechless.

It was then that Carla's eyes were drawn to a small amount of a dried red substance on the woman's shoulder. She stepped forward, getting a closer look. It was a small amount of dried blood, running down from two small circular holes.

"Oh, so you took it right from the source this time, fucking great" Carla turned around, heading for the door, and for her things, she needed to get out, she felt the heat slowly rising up from the pit of her stomach as she spoke, she needed to get out and calm down.

"Paula?!" Sammy followed her quickly, not wanting to let her go. "Where are you going? What are you doing?"

Carla tried to ignore her voice, knowing that the longer she stayed and argued, the harder it would be to control herself.

"Hey!" Sammy caught her arm and Carla pulled her coat, bag and car keys of the hooks where she had left them the previous night.

Carla gave Sammy a sideways glance, warning her.

"What are you doing, Paula?"

"I need to get out of here, because my roommate is a worthless V addict who doesn't even have the self-respect or personal strength to look after herself! Honestly, you go from associating with hill billy drug dealers to getting involved with the vampire community, trust me, you are making a huge mistake, and you're not dragging me down with you!" Carla swung the front door open with considerable force, slamming it shut behind her, so hard that it rattled in the frame for a few moments.

* * *

Carla had driven her car to the only place she really knew apart from the local convenience store in this town. So now here she was, sat outside Merlotte's bar and grill, her legs outside of the car, her hands rubbing her temples slowly, trying to regain some composure.

"You're here early" Carla jumped out of the skin, causing her old car to shake and groan. Sam immediately apologized for frightening her.

"It's okay, I had a fight with my roommate" Carla leaned against the side of the front car seat. "Would you like me to leave?"

Sam shook his head, looking down at her, she met his gaze.

"It's okay, I know it must be difficult to live with an addict" Carla sighed.

"Now she's getting involved with vampires, and I know it can't be pretty" Sam glanced down at her.

"Listen, if you ever need any help, I'm here… I mean if you need overtime, I can give you money for it" Carla turned to her head to him, and smiled.

"I'm fine, we'll find a way to get through this, at least… I hope. I really need this, a place to stay, where I'm safe and secure, feels like I've been on the run for so long, it's never ending" Sam looked down at her suspiciously.

"From your parents?" Carla blinked, realizing she almost gave herself away.

"Yeah" She decided to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"So do you have anything going on in the mornings here?" Carla asked, smiling faintly, trying to take her mind off what was happening at home.

"Trash gets taken away, I usually sweep and mop the place and wipe down all the surfaces if I'm not busy. We have some customers but not all that many, hence why I have most of the employees come in in the evening." Carla nodded in acknowledgement.

"You need some help?" Sam glanced down at her, and she smiled politely. "Oh, you don't have to pay me; it's just a have nowhere else to be" Sam nodded, unsure of accepting her help, but accepting none the less.

"Thanks, Sam" Sam simply saluted lazily, and walked off towards the bar, pulling the keys out of his back pocket. Carla locked up her car and followed him.

* * *

Carla spent her day sweeping and mopping the floors of the bar, completely cleaning the place out, by the time she was finished it was time to get behind the bar and serve the first customers. Along with Sookie and Arlene, there was now another waitress, apparently Carla's first day happened to be the woman's day off. She introduced herself as Dawn, and certainly appeared to be an overly promiscuous character, though she seemed friendly enough, so Carla was polite, as she should be.

The night was pretty slow, like the previous one, and as it got to the middle of her shift, Carla's eye lids were already beginning to droop almost closed. The sound of the door to the bar flying open and slamming with a loud clatter into the wooden entry way made her eyes snap open, and her mind become alert.

"Paula!?" Sammy came storming in looking around, all of the people who were previously eating their meals, now looked up and followed this strange woman who had not been seen in the bar before make a scene of herself.

Sam walked quickly out from the back, along with all of the other staff, trying to find out what the ruckus was about.

"Paula!" Sammy repeated as she spotted Carla behind the bar, walking around the bar to get to her. "Paula, I sorted it all out now, it's fine, there's no way we will be getting in any trouble anymore, so I can expect-" Sam cut the woman off, standing in her path to Carla.

"Paula, if there is an urgent issue between the two of you, you can take it outside, not inside my bar" Carla shook her head.

"There is no issue" Carla said, her face completely emotionless and hard.

"Paw…! Please" Sammy whinged from where she stood on the other side of Sam.

"Sammy, leave" Carla said simply, not moving from her position lent against the bar.

"Paw... no... i sorted everything out, were fine-"

"SAMMY, LEAVE!" Carla stepped forward, pointing at the door, her eyes blazing with anger.

Sammy's gaze dropped, as if she were a naughty child receiving a scolding from her head mistress. She walked back to the door where she had entered, leaving without saying another word.

Once Sammy had disappeared through the doors, Carla strode out from behind the bar and down the back, towards Sam's office, for a little privacy.

Sookie followed her, and once she was inside the office, Sookie closed the door behind her.

"Are you okay? Sam told me you've had a rough day" Carla let out a hissing sigh, and met the blonde's eye.

"She just, she's going to get herself killed, and there's nothing I can do" Carla only just managed to hold back tears, she told herself she was in way to deep, and over attached to the girl. However any sort of death, whether it was human or animal deeply saddened her, it was normal for her kind.

Sookie frowned, putting a hand on the woman's shoulder, pulling her into a hug, before suddenly gasping and stepping back, her eyes wide, and her hand on her head.

"What is it?" Carla looked confused. But Sookie wasn't paying attention, she appeared to be seeing things that Carla could not see, her eyes flicked around the room ceaselessly, she looked terrified.

"Sookie? What's wrong?" Carla stepped forward, reaching her hand forward to try and comfort Sookie. Suddenly Sookie tripped backwards, almost falling straight back onto the floor, Carla grabbed her, laying her down gently on the floor. The blonde was completely out of it, it appeared she had fainted.

"SAM!"

* * *

Carla and Sam sat next to the hospital bed in the pristine ward of the Monroe hospital, it was around seven and deadly quiet. Carla had her head in her hands, trying to work out what had happened. Clearly something had happened due to Sookie touching her, she just wondered what it could have been.

"Are you sure that's all that happened?" Sam asked out of the blue.

"Yes, she tripped and hit her head" Carla lied, looking up, as Sookie began to move.

Both of them sprung up and went to her bed side, as she stirred, and looked up at the two of them.

As Sookie laid her eyes on Carla, they widened a little, but she seemed to act normally apart from that. Shuffling up the bed, Sookie rubbed her forehead, and then the back of her head.

"What happened?" Sookie was lying, she knew exactly what had happened, Carla could tell by her tone of voice, she straightened up.

"We were in Sam's office, and you tripped and knocked your head, you passed out… are you feeling alright?" Sookie nodded her head, glancing at Carla out of the corner of her eye.

"I feel okay, apart from a bit of a head ache, and probably a big bruise" Sookie explained. Sam let out a sigh of relief, reaching over to squeeze Sookie's hand.

"I'll go and get the doctor, hopefully he can do the checks and discharge you" Sam smiled at them both, and walked out of the cubicle.

The two of them were alone, and their eyes were locked together.

"You're like me" Sookie said simply, a tiny bit louder than a whisper.

"What?"

"I said: You're like me"

"No, what you do mean, like you?"

"Listen- I'm telepathic… I can hear peoples thoughts" Carla looked sceptically at her.

"Right..."

"But I can't hear yours, and when I tried really hard, on your first day, you vomited" Carla's eyes narrowed.

"And when I touched you, this evening, I saw… images, there was a tall blonde boy, a huge, white spotted big cat, and a small group of wooden houses grouped together in the middle of a ring of hills." Carla's eyes widened as the woman spoke, and she stepped back away from the bed, still staring at her.

"That's impossible..."

"Your name's actually Carla, right?" Sookie just appeared curious, unaware of the possible dangers knowing that knowledge put her in.

"Shh!"

"What?"

"Just don't say anything else, once we get out of here… I will explain, but not before"

"Okay"

Sam came back into the cubicle, a small black woman at his side, a nurse. She quickly checked Sookie for any signs concussion, before deciding she was fine, and leaving to sign the discharge papers.

* * *

**Later that night**

"Are you a vampire?"

"No"

"Like a vampire?"

Carla said nothing.

"So what's the deal?" Sookie questioned. Carla sat beside her; they were currently in Sookie's car out in the Merlotte's parking lot.

"The deal is that we are nothing alike, you are telepathic, and I am not, and the less you know about me, the better"

"Why?"

Carla sighed, meeting the blondes stare with intense eyes.

"Because it puts you in danger, and believe it or not, I don't want to see the people around me dead. The less you know, the less you can tell, and the less you can tell, the more likely it is you stay alive"

"But who would be coming to kill me?"

"People who think you know things"

"People such as?"

"God dammit Sookie! Just stop!"

They were both silent.

"Just trust me, you don't want to be involved"

"What if I do?"

"You don't"

Silence.

"But we're both different, we should stick together… look out for each other?"

"No"

Carla opened her car door, getting out and walking over to her own car, it was way past the time she should be home, and she deciding it was also way past the time that the conversation should have ended.

"Paula, come on, we need to look out for one another!" Sookie shouted from her car, Carla was thankful she hadn't called her by her real name, but nonetheless, she was still pissed off at the night's events.

"No, Sookie, go home and forget about it!" Getting inside her car, she started the engine and drove away, heading for home, trying to push these problems to the back of her mind for now.

* * *

After parking her car in the driveway, Carla ran up the pathway to the front door, getting her keys out. She couldn't wait to get inside and relax, hopefully Sammy was already asleep, so she would be able to have a quiet night of catching up on the sleep she missed out on during the previous night.

As Carla glanced down at the door, to put her key in the hole, she realized the door was already ajar. Confused as to how and why it would be left slightly open the way it was, she pushed slowly through the door, into the house.

Carla couldn't hear anything in the house, and all the lights were out. Taking a deep breath, she could smell the unrest in the air. Leaving the front door slightly open, as a means of escape, she checked behind it, to make sure no-one was hiding there.

All of the doors in the house were left open, apart from Sammy's room. Carla decided to check if she was okay, considering there may have been a possible intruder, and in light of the night's events.

Sneaking carefully and quietly up to the door, and pressing down on the door handle to open it without too much noise, she glanced inside the room. She saw Sammy laying across her bed in an awkward position, curious. Carla swung open the door, and turned on the main light.

Only then did she realise that the woman was as white as a sheet of paper.

Carla ran over to the bed and climbed on next to Sammy, shaking her to try and wake her.

Sammy didn't respond. Carla began to panic, lowering her ear to the woman's chest, she couldn't hear a heartbeat.

Carla considered mouth to mouth, but feeling how cold the woman was against her thigh, she decided it was too late.

Sammy was gone, and she had been gone for a long time now.

* * *

**Thanks for reading guys, hope you enjoyed! Please leave me a review telling me what you think, and i know, it is pretty boring and slow at the moment, but i am trying to get this part out of the way as quickly as possible, i am trying to give Carla a reason to stay in Bon Temps, so i guess you can tell who killed Sammy now? :P**

**Right, thanks guys, hopefully see you next chapter, and thanks for the support! **

**-Shad out.**


	4. Murderer on the Loose

**Welcome back! Enjoy this one, and please give me a review, it is much appreciated, i like to know what you think! Thanks a bunch for coming back and taking the time to read my fanfic, all support is greatly appreciated! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter four - Murderer on the Loose

* * *

Carla was curled up on the floor of Sammy's room, though it was no longer her room, what else was there to call it.

Carla stared out of the door, down the corridor, and at the back of the couch in the lounge room.

She had been laying here silently since the police had left, about three hours ago. It had taken them an awful long time to take away the body and collect all of the evidence. Budd, the sheriff, had told her that he would do all in his power to find out who had killed Sammy, but Carla wasn't confident.

Every time Carla breathed in, her nostrils were filled with the scent of Sammy's killer, heavy in fabric softener, as if his clothes were often washed. There was no other scent in the room, and no other evidence she could identify. The owner of the funeral home and corner of the town, a strange man by the name of Mike Spencer. He had a macabre personality, and a sense of cheerful brutality about him, which Carla supposed was good when you spent most of your time dealing with cadavers.

The ticking of her watch suddenly rose in volume, and she glanced down at its face, almost time for work, Carla sighed.

Carla dragged herself from the floor and headed for the bathroom, to wash herself up. Though she was getting out of her work clothing, she knew she would need to get back in to it, so she took a few minutes to spray the shorts and T-shirt with deodorant, so it didn't smell as bad.

She had no idea how she was going to manage to pay the rent, or the bills, or even find out who was responsible for Sammy's murder. The police said she was asphyxiated, but Carla could tell, considering the slightly brown marks around the woman's neck, the only bruising that could occur before rigamortis set in to her young frail body.

These thoughts continued to swirl around in her head, as she drove into the the bar and grill parking lot. Locking her car up, heading inside, and getting ready for work, as she made her way behind the bar, ready for opening time, she ignored the eyes that stuck to her like glue, stares that came from all of the employees in the place.

Carla simply got on with wiping down the surfaces and then leaning her back against the bar, ready for opening.

Sam came round the corner from his office, taking a double take when he noticed her behind the bar. Sookie pulled him to where the three waitresses were standing, and began whispering ferociously at him.

Sam sighed and walked over to Carla, she didn't need to hear them to know what he was going to say.

"Hey, Paula, are you sure you should be in tonight, considering?" Sam stood a couple of feet away from her, as if she might lash out at him in her grief.

"Considering what, Sam?" Carla looked up, locking her eyes with his, which caused his to glance down at the floor in uncertainty.

"Considering the murder" Sam added.

"Trust me, I have shed my tears for Sammy. I understand that news of this nature travels like wild fire in a small town such as this, but I am afraid missing a day of work would mean I would lose my house. Even though I doubt if I work from now until the end of the month, every day, full time, I will still not be able to meet my rent for next month" Sam frowned.

"Additionally, I cannot bear to be in that house another moment. Knowing what happened there, what some sick bastard did there, it drives me mad" Carla continued. "I don't even want to go home tonight" Her voice remained stiff, but a small tear trailed down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry Paula" Sookie came rushing past Sam, her arms out stretched, about to give her a charging hug.

Carla simply stood still and Sooke threw her arms around her, and Carla patted the telepath's back with one hand. Carla whispered a warning dangerously low into her ear, so that no-one else could hear.

"Don't you dare Sookie" Sookie was aware what she was referring to, and slowly ceased her contact.

"Well if you want to work, I won't stop you, but if you need a break, feel free to step into my office at any time during your shift. I can tend the bar while you cool off" Sam gave a tiny smile at the edges of his lips, he was a sympathetic man, if also secretive. His infatuation with a certain blonde waitress was not very secretive though.

Carla nodded, her eyes now fixed on the blonde. Arlene and Dawn left as Sam went back to his office, going back to stand by the kitchen, far enough away for the blonde to start questioning her.

"Did those people you were telling me about last night… that wanted you dead, kill your flat mate?" Carla stood up straight, turning away from the blonde as if they weren't talking.

"No" Carla checked her watch.

"Then who?"

"I don't know, but I would know if it was the"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sookie, please relax. If there is danger of that kind, you would be the first one I would tell."

Sookie let out a quick sigh.

"Okay" She went to leave, but stopped almost immediately.

"Carla, really, I am sorry, I know how it feels to lose someone"

Carla looked up at the blonde, and she could see the hurt in her eyes. She had lost someone close, Mother or father maybe, or a grandparent that was close maybe.

Carla gave a faint smile to her, and nodded.

"Thank you, Sookie"

* * *

Early in the night Sookie received a call from a woman, which she took and ended quickly, apologizing to Sam for taking a call during work, knowing that she shouldn't while she was working. This prompted Sam to bring up the issue of Arlene's phone usage during work.

"Hey!" Arlene exclaimed as she came round the corner from the kitchens. "I heard that!"

"Yes… I wish you would hear that Arlene!" Sam joked.

"Sam, I am the only one here that has kids!" Arlene complained as she continued to walk towards her table.

Just after this, Dawn came to the bar, holding her order book and tray in her hands, she paused next to Sookie to say "Mack and Denise Ratray are just about to sit down in your section" which caused both women to look over towards the two rednecks who were about to sit down. The woman rearranging her bra while the man forcefully swung his hand back and smacked her on the ass. At which she turned and yelled "What the fuck" smacking the man on the arm just as harshly.

Sookie let out a pained sigh, turn back around towards the bar.

At which Sam said, "Just put on that poker face… Cher" He then turned away and started washing up some of the glasses in the sink, at which Carla furrowed her brow.

Sookie turned away and went to serve the two.

"Who are they?" Carla asked, taking the opportunity to ask him a few questions while he was doing her work, which she neglected to inform him.

"They're just a scummy pair, thieves, drug addicts, drug dealers" Sam replied, Carla took interest in the last words.

"Don't look like the type to me" Carla admitted, leaning against the bar next to Sam.

"Well, here they are definitely the type, trust me, you don't want to be involved with them"

"Don't worry, I have no plan to" Carla agreed, as she was looking over at the two, who were staring up at Sookie. Who looked as if she was close to lashing out at one of them, her awkward false grin slowly becoming larger, and more like a sneer.

The phone began to ring and Sam went to answer it, where Carla picked up where he had left the washing. Sure enough, it was for Arlene, from one of her kids, and so she began a motherly lecture down the phone about scary movies and how the kids should listen to 'Rene', Arlene's boyfriend, Carla guessed.

Sookie left the table with the two rednecks, and walked to the kitchens at a hurried pace.

Sookie's friend Tara arrived soon after the brief phone conversation. Tara said that her and Sookie had known each other since they were very young, she sat at the bar, constantly ordering drinks, which Carla made without question. The woman continually spoke about the amount of racist rednecks in the town, and about how much she was discriminated against. Personally, Carla just thought that Tara was stewing for a fight, in any shape or form, and she had a very short fuse, something that didn't help when working with people, so Carla was calm and polite with her.

Sam was hanging around the bar tonight, not doing anything, just being a nuisance in the eyes of Carla, who had to keep asking him to move so that she could get to things he was standing in front of. He appeared to just be watching what was going on in the bar, but Carla saw his eyes keep trailing onto the same person, Sookie.

Whenever Sookie came over to the bar to ask for a drink for one of her tables, Sam would insist on making it for her. Carla sighed at how obvious he was, and yet Sookie seemed to take no notice.

When Sookie came over to the bar Tara began talking to her, but Carla wasn't paying much attention, she was more paying attention to the two red necks in their seats. She had pretended not to know them, playing the part, but Carla guessed that these were the ones who had been Sammy's V suppliers most of the time, before the incident with the vampire. In this town drug dealers must be few a far between, so it must be them, considering Sammy had told her they were 'Red necks'.

Carla had her thought pattern disturbed as Sam pushed past her to meet Sookie at the bar.

"Hey, how you doing Sookie?" He asked, grinning widely.

"I've had better nights" She admitted, giving a lazy shrug.

"Anything I can do to improve this one for you?" Sam asked, leaning forward over the bar towards her.

Sookie made a surprised face, blinking twice and then widening her eyes, wondering what he was hinting at.

Sam receded back, wetting his lips and breaking eye contact.

Carla rolled her eyes at the awkward exchange.

Sookie turned around slowly, as if she had heard something from behind her that broke her concentration, Carla immediately fixed her eyes on the source of the disruption. A vampire had just sat down in Sookie section, before promptly locking a gaze with the blonde waitress.

He was deathly pale, looked to be in his late thirty's wearing a brown jacket and black trousers. He slumped forward in his chair, clean shaven with little specs of black on his chin. His brown hair was short and messy, more like bed hair than any style, and his face had barely any color apart from a slight redness in his lips.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Sookie turned around to face the bar again, a big grin on her face, she leaned over the bar.

"Oh my-! I think that might be the first vampire we've ever had!" She explained excitedly, her voice hushed, glancing between the three of them. Carla didn't meet her eyes, she was now staring at the vampire completely rigid, and thankfully the vamp was just staring at Sookie's back.

"I think you're right" Sam just stated, the displeasure evident in his tone.

"I can barely believe it!" Sookie seemed so excited, while the others were wary, and Carla was contemplating running right now. "I've been so excited about meeting one for the first time-." Sookie snatched up her order booklet and pen, and walked over to go and serve the vampire. Carla stepped forward a moment too late to catch the blonde's arm, but she was gone.

"Shit" Carla said, but Sam stopped her.

"It's okay, if anything happens- I'll sort it out" he reassured her, and Carla realized there was nothing she could do but nod. She didn't want to lose her job for starting a fight in the bar, nor did she want to appear too anti-vampire.

"This isn't good" Carla sighed.

"Not at all" Tara agreed, all of them looking at Sookie and the vampire.

Sookie arrived at the vampires table and appeared to be making chit chat with him, then the vampire quickly glanced over at Sam and then moved his gaze to Carla's face. Carla turned away, making sure that he didn't get a clear look at her face.

When she looked back, Sookie had quickly exited and walked back towards the bar, and the Ratrays had turned around, coming to sit with the vampire, introducing themselves. Denise sat right next to the vamp, while Mack sat opposite.

* * *

"What a bitch" Sookie was stood next to Tara, who was still sat up on a bar stool at the bar. "You really think she's going to let him bite her?" Referring to Denise Ratray, who was now leaning up against the vampire like a bitch in heat.

"It wouldn't surprise me… honestly the amount of people having sex with vampires these days… then the ones that disappear" Tara commented, looking at the vampire warily.

"No… there's no way" Sookie shook her head. "He's not that sort…" she trailed of, still staring.

"Sookie… you spoke to him for five minutes…" Carla commented. "That's hardly an adequate stretch of time to judge his character…" She glanced around the bar, before eyeing the vampire again.

"But-… he's so charming, and polite. Not scary at all!" Sookie assured her.

"Sweet Jesus in heaven Sookie! He is a vampire!" Tara retorted "You shouldn't be so trusting!" Tara sighed, frustrated.

"Yeah- but the synthetic blood has changed-"

"Are you willing to give up all your favourite food and spend the rest of your life drinking slim fast?" Sam butted in, joining the argument. "That's exactly what it's like" He added.

Sookie replied by looking down at the floor then leering at Tara then rolling her eyes to the ground.

"Sookie, just, be careful…" Carla smiled, catching the waitresses eye.

Tara got up to excuse herself to the bathroom. Then shortly after Sookie went back over towards the vampire's table, to ask if they wanted anything else, Carla expected.

Carla turned back to her washing up, and when she looked up, she saw Sookie run off to the ladies room in some sort of hurry, something was wrong.

Shortly after Sookie came running around the corner next to the bar, pulling Tara by the wrist with her.

"No we do not, we don't have to get anywhere near that vampire!" Tara said, looking worried.

Carla walked over to small door to the bar, leaning against the door frame, listening to the two of them.

"Tara-! I am very disappointed in you and your narrow mindedness!" Sookie looked angry.

"Sookie" Sam pushed past Carla, joining in in their conversation again. "I am sure the vampire can take care of himself, he's done so for god-knows how long…" He leaned on the bar in front of Carla.

Sookie then turned around to see that the vampire and the Retrays where gone. "Shit!" She exclaimed, throwing her apron on the bar and running out of the back door.

"Sam, tend the bar!" Carla ordered, as she went running after Sookie.

* * *

Upon getting outside Carla saw Sookie running off towards some trees further away in the parking lot. Carla went into the bushes on the opposite side of the parking lot, and followed the tree line, making sure she wasn't seen. Sookie picked up a heavy chain from the back of a pickup truck that was parked in the car park, picking it up as quickly and quietly as possible. She started to move towards the loud voices of the Ratrays. Carla moved closer so she could see what was happening, so she could run out and help if she was needed.

As Sookie got closer, Carla saw the vampire turn and see her, but he remained silent. He was draped with silver across his throat and arms, with cannulas in his arms draining the blood out of him in to blood bags. He was completely helpless, the Ratrays were arguing with one another, keeping them distracted. Denise was fiddling with the equipment and Sookie raised the chain and brought it down on Mack's back, she fell to his knees, groaning in pain.

"You crazy bitch!" He turned around and got back to his feet, pulling out a knife from his back pocket. He lashed out towards Sookie.

Sookie stepped back and flung the chain at Mack's neck, and it curled itself around the man's throat, suffocating him.

A flash of white light in her peripheral vision caught Carla's eye, she turned her head and saw a tall black haired woman, her skin pink and full of life. She wore a long flowing dress, and light had come from her hand that she held up in front of her. Carla turned to walk towards her, but a stick cracked underneath her foot, and the beauty in the dress noticed her and evaporated into a flash of white light.

"Damn!" Carla cursed under her breath, remaining still to make sure the others hadn't heard the snapping. Turning back to see Denise Ratray dragging Mack away from Sookie, who was holding out the knife that Mack had pulled on her.

The Ratray's backed straight off, running farther up the parking lot, probably to where their vehicle was.

As soon as they were out of sight, Sookie threw the knife aside and descended on the weaken vampire, pulling the silver off him and watching him heal almost instantaneously.

Suddenly a car came rushing towards Sookie and the vampire, and she had to get up and help him pull himself out of the way of the oncoming tire. As the car went by Denise yelled, "You're a dead whore-!", before driving out of the parking lot at an alarming speed.

Carla couldn't hear the two as they began to converse, the vampire with his back against a tree, looking completely bemused.

Carla kept a close eye, just in case the vampire decided to try anything on. Knowing what vampires were capable of, and know that most could not be trusted, she got ready to go and get Sookie, now that she had gone and played vigilante.

Suddenly the vampire used his superior speed to move right in front of Sookie, and Carla knew what was going to happen next. She made her way quickly but silently out of the bushes and over to where to two of them stood.

"Sookie" she interrupted, meeting Sookie's eyes first, and then the vampire's, giving him an innocent but fiery stare of warning. "Sam wants you back at the bar, your sections ain't getting served and he's getting real grouchy" Carla did her best to sound as if she hadn't seen anything.

"Well" Sookie turned back towards the vampire. "Seeya Bill… I got work to get back too" Sookie stepped down away from the vampire. Carla gave him one last precise stare, before walking away beside Sookie, back to the bar.

Sam was waiting outside the door for them when they got close to the bar again.

"Sookie, Paula! Thank God!" He had his hands on his hips and was indeed looking grouchy, and worried. "You okay?" He was addressing Sookie mostly.

"I'm fine!" Sookie smiled smugly at the man, "And for your information, not all vampires can take care of themselves!" Carla smiled and glanced at Sookie, shrugging.

They both walked around him, Carla first, entering the bar by the back entrance again, leaving him outside.

Tara tended the bar with Carla for the rest of the night, helping to serve drinks and wash up cups, and also eat most of the olives that were meant for the cocktails.

When it got to the end of the night, and all of the patrons had finally returned home, clean up begun. Carla started working through the glasses that needed washing up, while Tara ate olives.

"Thanks for helping tonight Tara" Sam came over to the bar, holding an empty coffee mug, which Carla snatched out of his hands to wash up.

"How much you gonna pay me?" Tara questioned, a smile on her face.

"Well… twenty bucks?" Sam suggested, as if he wasn't sure she'd accept it.

"Sam… I dunno how you expect me to work here for twenty bucks a night…"

"Well it's good that I don't expect you to work here… then" Sam nodded decisively. "I mean, you covered tonight for what? An hour?"

"Yeah, but still, if I did work here-" she trailed off.

"It'd only be a matter of time before you bit someone's head off for saying something the wrong way" He scoffed "I don't wanna drive away my customers… and that's exactly what I'd be doing!"

"I only go off on stupid people!" Tara shot back, ready to give the sas. Carla began putting away all the washed and dried glasses, only half listening to the conversation.

"Well, unfortunately, most of my customers are stupid people"

"Yeah, but... I could help you keep an eye on Sookie" Carla whirled around, folding her arms over her chest. She was now paying full attention after the mention of Sookie's name.

"We all saw the way she looked at that vampire-… and the way he looked back." Tara added, "That is just trouble looking for a place to happen... and she means to much to both of us to let anything happen to her"

"I think I was the one who looked after her tonight" Carla commented "I can do it again, believe it or not, I don't much like being put out of a job only a couple weeks after I started" The two of them looked at her.

"The more the better" Sam muttered, after a moment of thought.

"Yes… tha's was I was thinking…" Tara agreed.

"Well, be here tomorrow at six. Both of you, you're no longer part time Paula. I'll pay you both full wages and you can both tend the bar" He nodded.

They also both nodded in unison, and Tara smiled. Sam picked up the book of drink recipes, and handed it to Tara.

"You'll need to learn this on your own. I don't have time to train you" Sam told her.

"Sam… honestly, I was mixing whiskey sours for my mum when I was in first grade" Tara replied "It's just like riding a bicycle" Tara chuckled.

"Well… that's pretty fucked up…" Carla commented, furrowing her brow.

"Ya think?" Tara nodded, looking to her. "My mumma's crazy"

Carla glanced over, hearing the side door of the bar go, and a tall muscular man enter. He walked quickly with a long stride over to the bar, before pointing at Sam.

"Hey Sam, 's my sister here?" He asked, looking around at the same time.

"No… Sookie already went home" Sam wandered away. Carla came forward to stand in front of the bar, looking at the new guy.

"Hey, Jason" Tara grinned, standing in front of him. Carla raised an eyebrow.

"Hey..." Jason trailed off. Sookie's brother, as it would appear.

"Well-… my name's Tara. I've been your sister's best friend since most her life? I used to sleep over at your house like… all the time" Tara chuckled and attempted to act cool.

"I know who you are" Jason assured, nodding to himself, before taking a sip of the bear he had poured himself by reaching over from the other side of the bar.

"Well… at least you remember something…" Tara muttered, instantly serious. A personality trait that Carla had noticed in Tara, that she could change mood almost completely in no time at all.

Jason looked shocked, and Carla only just managed to stifle a giggle.

"Well hello stranger" Dawn wandering in from the back, standing behind Jason. She had a big smile on her face, flicking her head back so her hair fell away from her face. Jason glanced back and then turned around, heading over to her.

"Hey... Dawn-, come 'ere" he beckoned with his hand, grinning, pulled the waitress into a hug. She giggled.

Tara looked suddenly incredibly pissed off. Carla coughed, making a puking noise only loud enough for Tara to hear, who nodded.

"Look at 'chu…" He indeed, did look at her. "You look great" Jason complimented, holding her around the waist. Dawn chucked. "How you been?"

"Fine. Partyin'"

"So you ain't mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"Well… since I didn't call… you know, The usual…"

Carla rolled her eyes, turning away and pretending to do something, so that she wasn't just left to watch those two.

"Jason, baby, I ain't got no expectations of you… I'm not an idiot" Dawn giggled again, as if everything had a tinge of humour smothered on it.

"When do you get off work?"

"Oh… well, right now?" she glanced at her wrist as if there were a watch there, which there wasn't.

Tara looked as if she could kill someone right about now. Carla actually contemplated having to hold her down to stop her from gutting the waitress.

"You wanna go somewhere?" Jason questioned, though it was obvious where 'somewhere' was.

"Yeah actually I do. I wanna go home!" Dawn giggled again, walking out.

"Nice seeing you Tara- good luck!" Jason rushed, draining his beer and putting it down on the bar. Not even turning around properly to make eye contact, he followed Dawn like a little lost puppy.

"I'm going home too. See you tomorrow Tara- try not to kill anyone on your way home" Carla gave a small smile, heading out the back to get her things.

Tara gave a low grunt as she left, slouching on the bar heavily.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, nice to see you! Hope you enjoyed this chapter? or maybe you didn't? Got a comment? Please give a review! I know my OC is rather boring currently, but trust me, when we get involved with a certain blonde, things will begin to exhelerate, and Carla will completely change.  
****See you next time (hopefully)! **

**Thanks to VampireElf, Saskiamq and Kandyk267 for their reviews, good to know that you like my story and want me to continue!  
**

**I've almost finished writing the last chapter of this season, so I will soon start on season two which will include a lot of Eric/OC.**

**-Shad out.**


	5. Meeting a New Face

**Welcome back and i hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the support! It's really appreciated!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter five - Meeting a New Face

* * *

Carla arrived at Merlotte's early the next day, finding herself unable to stay at home. She knocked on Sam's door, waking him up in the process, he handed her the keys, telling her to open up early while he got changed.

As it got to mid-day, the bar opened up for lunch, with both Tara and Carla behind the bar. Arlene was off that night, so it was only Sookie and Dawn waitressing.

Lunch went by without an issue, and as night fell, Sam decided to start hanging around the bar and the kitchen, waiting for the vampire to show his face. Something that Carla wished he wouldn't do, it made her nervous seeing him nervous, always carrying around a dish cloth and fiddling with it.

As it came towards dinner time, Arlene came in with her partner, Rene, and his friend, Hoyt. At a glance they both seemed normal, but there was something about Rene that Carla couldn't put her finger on, something not quite right.

Carla was leaning against the bar, waiting for an order, next to Tara who had her feet up on the counter reading the cocktails book Sam had told her to learn.

A large redneck came into the bar and took a seat at the bar, just in front of Tara'a feet, looking at her curiously, like inspecting something completely out of place in the room. Carla stood up and started washing up the bear glasses in the sick behind the bar, drying them and then putting them away, a repetitive job but something that took her mind of other things.

"Could you see to this one for me, Tara?" Carla asked politely, not looking up from her work.

"Yeah, in a sec"

"Hey- hooker! Whatchu' doing here?" Lafayette walked behind the bar and poured himself a drink.

"Like you- cousin, I work here." Tara replied.

"Oh, no the hell you don't"

"Oh yes the hell I do too, you ugly bitch- and you need to make peace with that"

Carla put the last glass on the shelf, and walked out the back, leaving them to sort out their argument, it was a full moon tonight, and already Carla was getting the tingles. Like pins and needles all the way up the sides of her thighs and the tips of her fingers, and they would only get worse as the night went on. It only took one moment of lost control and Carla's body would be human no longer, something she really hated about what she was, was these nights, once a month, she would be irritated by this feeling.

Carla leaned up against the wall, on the other side was the kitchen, and thankfully the two waitresses weren't here, so she was alone.

Taking a deep sigh, Carla pushed the feeling to the back of her mind, trying to ignoring the niggling tingles in her body. When suddenly everyone seemed to appear from no-where. Carla couldn't tell if they'd been there all along and she had simply been too out of focus tonight to notice, or they had just moved the location of their conversation without warning.

"Arrested! What the hell- For what?!" Sookie was interrogating Dawn. Carla hadn't been paying attention to what or why she was.

"I don't know!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Sook, I'm sorry about yo' brother" Lafayette suddenly appeared from the direction of the bar, heading back into the kitchen, but pausing outside the entrance to talk to Sookie.

"So, how come everybody knew about this before I did?" Sookie continued to question, hands on hips, clearly annoyed.

"Well I was there baby girl… I saw him get carted away" Lafayette explained.

"And -I- was on the phone complaining to Arlene about Jason hanging up on me when we were making a date- and then not calling me back and that's when she told me" Dawn added.

"Arlene? And how does she know?" Sookie said.

"I guess Rene told her" Dawn answered.

"It's a small town, everyone knows everyone else, are you surprised that word gets around fast? Or are you surprised that Jason didn't want you to know first?" Carla asked, looking at Sookie, who began to walk away toward the bar.

"Besides... we figured you'd just..." Dawn continued.

"I just what?" Sookie stopped and turned back to Dawn.

"I mean… didn't you just know already?"

"I am not- Psychic!" Sookie turned back away, and stormed off.

"Good job, Dawn, really, that's just fantastic" Carla growled, scratching the side of her head while looking at the wall in front of her.

"Well what? Couple years back she knew me and Jason were going out even before we made it official, how the hell did she know if she weren't?"

"Never mind" Carla sighed, shaking her head, heading back behind the bar, leaning forward on it.

As the door in front of her opened, she glanced up to meet the eyes of Bill the vampire walking towards a table, which was, of course, in Sookie's section. Sookie turned around from talking to Arlene, Hoyt and Rene over by the pool table to go and sit with him, which attracted the attention of every single pair of eyes in the establishment.

Sam came to the bar and Tara stood right next to him. Carla simply stood exactly where she was, and watched the two with interest, it was very obvious that Sookie was getting herself in way too deep with the wrong crowd, a vampire crowd was definitely the wrong type of crowd to be with.

This put Carla in danger too, as if Sookie was susceptible to glamour, her secret would slip through the girls lips like water through a sieve. Carla would have to wait after work and speak to Sookie about this, maybe she would even catch the vampire too, considering his attraction to her, it wouldn't be surprising if they were meeting after work.

Quickly the vampire stood up and walked out of the bar, leaving Sookie sitting alone at the table, she leaned back in the chair, a pained expression on her face. Sam strode out from behind the bar, straight over to Sookie, he snatched her arm roughly and pulled her up and towards the back, and his office. Tara followed a few moments later, and then, eventually, Carla decided too as well.

Carla pushed open the door to Sam's office and was immediately hit by Sookie speed walking out of the room, she looked positively fuming. She pushed past Carla and walked back towards the bar. Carla simply stood there and looked at the two still inside the office.

"Well that went well" She said, with one eyebrow raised.

"Oh shut the fuck up" Tara said, a mixture of angry and disappointed.

"You know she is a grown woman, maybe we should let her make her own mistakes, for the meantime… I'll stick to her like glue and make sure that she is safe" Carla suggested, addressing Sam more than Tara, who looked completely deflated.

Sam simply nodded.

* * *

**Later that night**

Carla got off at 1:30, along with Sookie and Sam, they all filed out of the bar, with Sam last, who locked up.

Sookie walked towards her car, and Carla wandered behind her.

Sam paused for a moment, turning around to speak to Sookie.

"Sookie?"

"Go home, Sam" Sookie simply said, not even turning around.

Carla glanced over her shoulder at Sam, who nodded at her, and turned around to go in his front door.

They both reached Sookie's car, and Sookie turned to face Carla.

"What is it Carla, I'm not really in the mood tonight?"

"I just need to talk to you about this vampire thing"

"Oh, not you too, please… I've had enough lecturing for one night"

"This is less ordering, and more cautioning" Carla assured her.

"Go on then"

"Vampires have a neat little trick called glamour, it's like a form of hypnosis. Vampires use it to cover up their activities from humans, such as feedings and murders, now if a vampire decided to glamour you, all of your deepest darkest secrets would come gushing out like a shattered dam over a wide river. Please, just be careful, for both our sakes"

"Okay, I think I understand… maybe explain it to me again in the morning and I will be able to pay attention a lot better" Sookie nodded with a small smile.

"Okay then" Carla gave up, "Good night Sookie, take care of yourself"

Sookie nodded, leaning back against her car. Carla walked around the car, towards her own, which was through a row of trees. Getting in her car she leaned back against the seat, letting out a long and relaxing sigh.

Carla was then hit by a loud thump and heavy kicking sounds from back the way she had come, where Sookie was. Fearing the worst, that maybe the vampire had come to kill Sookie, Carla pulled off her shorts and shirt and threw them on the passenger seat of her car, heading back into the row of undergrowth that separated the sections of the parking lot. She crept through the plants, before she saw where the noises were coming from.

Sookie was on the ground, with the two Ratrays kicking and beating her, she was covered in injuries and in blood. This caused Carla to completely lose control, and she crouched down, morphing into a white cheetah, with black spots, but much larger than any cheetah that could be seen naturally, equalling the size of a car.

Carla leapt out from the bushes, seeing that Mack was now aiming his gun at the head of the same collie that Carla had seen the previous night, that had come to check on Sookie during her conversation with Bill.

Within a few seconds, Carla was on top of Mack Ratray, ripping out his throat and causing his blood to spill all over the dusty parking lot floor. Stepping off of the lifeless body, Carla slowly padded towards Denise, who was now backing away from her, a look of pure terror all over her features and body language. She turned to run and Carla readied her pounce, but she was interrupted but a whooshing sound as Denise was thrown into the air where she collided with a tree and then slammed into the ground, breaking almost every bone in her body in the process, killing her stone dead.

Vampire Bill then emerged from the blurred image that vampires took on when they entered their vamp speed, in front of Carla, but a few steps away, as if he was frightened of her.

Sookie was still underneath Carla who stood over her protectively. But Sookie was coughing and spluttering, bringing up blood, barely alive. Carla knew that she would need vampire blood to survive, and so she receded back, allowing the vampire to get to Sookie. As he had proven himself, at least slightly, that he wanted to keep Sookie safe, therefore he was allowed, to save her life, as the pros far outweighed the cons.

Vampire Bill picked Sookie up in his arms and walked into the bushes surrounding the parking lot. Not sure where he was heading, Carla decided to follow, she slowly got a hold of the reins and gained control of herself again, making sure to stay close enough to the vampire to see and follow him, and making sure not to lose him, but she was sure he lost her a few times.

Bill stopped by a stream and laid Sookie down on the ground, he then knelt down beside her and propped her up on his knee, biting into his own arm. He told Sookie to drink from him, tell her she would not become a vampire, and warning her that she would die if she didn't comply, which was true. After drinking his blood, Sookie laid back and slept, letting her body recover. Carla decided this was her chance to give the vampire her offer.

She prowled forwards out of the trees, which took the vampire by much surprise, so much so that he shuffled back away from Sookie and stood up straight, ready to fight. Sookie, thankfully, didn't stir. Carla moved within a few meters of the vampire, who didn't move from his position, trying to see if she was a threat, maybe.

In a swift movement, Carla pounced forward on the other side of Sookie, surprising the vampire, who revealed his fangs, in the same movement, she changed back into her human farm, with a wide smile on her face. There was nothing quite like scaring the immortals out of their skins, they didn't get to experience terror enough, she decided.

Carla gave a cheeky little giggle, and the vampire took in a deep unnecessary breath, in and then out.

"The bar tender from Merlottes? What are you?" Vampire Bill asked, inquisitive.

"Never mind that little vamp, I think you should be worrying more about your own hide right now, considering I could snap you like a dried twig" Carla gave a smile, she was a good liar, thankfully, and the vampires eyes widened a little.

"Now, Sookie is very... valuable to me, and I do not wish her to get... damaged, so to speak" Carla turned away from the vampire, pacing up and down on her side of Sookie, who was still dead to the world.

"I know there is a reason you have become so interested in her, and unless you wish me to tell her, I think you should keep my secret, and hers, and also be willing to protect her, with your life" Carla met Bill's eyes, he looked very intimidated by her presence, was it her threats, or the fact she was a strong willed woman?

"And why, I dare say, can't you protect her yourself? If you are powerful enough to kill a vampire such as myself, then you must be strong enough to protect a lowly human?" Bill asked, looking smug.

"Alas, I have work to do that is far more important than a simple human, though we both know she is much more than that. There are people farther up the vampire hierarchy that I must, shall we say, deal with" Carla let a sadistic smile creep on to her face, if only it was the case. "As she has started to show a liking to you, I think you should continue to play your, dashing stranger act, as she seems to like it so much, and take her under your protection, so no other vampire will be allowed to touch her, the list of threats would be... drastically shortened"

Carla leaned forward, inspecting the vampire closely with her piercing grey eyes. He looked very uncomfortable, and even frightened, which put a smile on Carla's face.

"So… basics of the deal... you look after Sookie, or I squash you beneath my paw, deal?" Carla put her hands on her hips, waiting for the vampires reply.

"Well, I suppose in that case I have no choice, don't you think?" He raised an eyebrow, trying to look cool and calm, something he was not succeeding in.

"Good, and no funny business, or you know the consequences" Carla turned away, but looked over her shoulder to make sure he acknowledged. Which he did, with a brief nod.

Carla started to walk away, shifting effortlessly back into her cheetah form, and rushing back towards the parking lot, and her car.

Hopefully tonight's exchange wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass at a later date.

* * *

**So how do you like Carla? Please tell me what you think! I love reading your reviews and your opinion is valued very highly, thank you for spending your time reading my fanfic, i am very grateful! Have a great day and i hope you enjoyed!**

**Until next time, see ya!**

**-Shad out**


	6. Moving House

**Welcome back! Great to see you! Please R&amp;R your comments and opinions are greatly appreciated and i hope to see you in the next chapters too! Hope you enjoy this one though, Thanks for coming back!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter six - Moving House

* * *

Upon getting home that night, Carla noticed the eight answer phone messages on the receiver, and let out a long sigh, she started to play them.

"Hello, I am to understand that my granddaughter has recently died, and you are renting a house in my possession. I am planning on bulldozing the property and selling it to a housing company, I expect you out when your rent expires, at the end of the month, please take all the possessions you want to keep, as I will be putting them all in a skip otherwise, kind regards, Carolina Browers" the answering machine chortled at her. Carla sighed, it would appear she would have to leave in the next three days, before the end of the month. It surprised Carla that Sammy had not told her about her grandmother, as she had told her the rest of her family was dead, she had simply believed her.

Carla didn't let this bother her, she got a shower and put her clothes on a short wash before shoving them in the tumble dryer for the night. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, feeling completely exhausted.

* * *

When she arrived at Merlotte's the next day, Sam seemed very wary of her, giving her a wide birth, something which made Carla very confused.

Before her shift started, she cornered him in the bar.

"Hey Sam, can we have a quick talk in your office? I need to tell you something in private" Sam quickly nodded, a flash of terror crossing his eyes, something that Carla couldn't understand. She followed Sam into his office and closed the door behind her, meeting his eyes, he stood up straight staring right at her, he had his arms crossed in front of him, as if they were a defensive barrier.

"Jesus christ Sam, please can you chill out, you look like you think i'm going to rip your throat out" Carla exclaimed, Sam simply gulped nervously, to which Carla sighed.

"Listen, I'm losing my house on Thursday so if i can't get a place to stay before that, it looks like i am out of a job and out of town as well, so i thought i'd let you know you may need to get someone to replace me, even though it looks like Tara is good enough to take over my placement by herself, even if her personality is volitile"

"I saw you last night" Sam simply said.

Carla's eyes widened. "Umm... What do you mean by that?"

"I saw you, and Sookie, and the vampire, in the parking lot, last night, i saw what you did to Mack and Denise" Carla sighed, looking down at the ground.

"Is that all you saw?"

"No"

"What else?"

"I happened to follow you and that vamp when he took Sookie, i heard it all"

"Look, Sam, that was all an act, i have nothing to do with the vampire community, and i couldn't even kill a vampire if i tried, they are way to strong for me, the only advantage i have is that i am faster, i did that to protect Sookie, because she knows, i don't want my secret slipping from her lips into the mind of a vampire, otherwise i am well and truly dead"

Sam made a grunting sound, as if wondering whether to believe her.

"Sookie is not a thing to me, i am not like a vampire, everyone is special and Sookie especially, she isn't human, and vampires can tell, she in danger, and she deserves protection"

"Just, please don't get her killed, i couldn't live with myself if she died"

"It's okay Sam, i know how you feel about her, and I will do everything in my power to make sure she is safe, I swear it"

Sam nodded, "I doubt she knows how i feel"

"I think she does, I just..."

Sam raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't know Sam"

"It's fine, Paula, just go back to work, and thanks"

"For what?"

"For looking after Sookie" Sam smiled, and Carla left the office, closing the door behind her.

* * *

It was barely half way through dinner and Merlotte's was heaving with people, the waitresses barely stopped moving the whole night and as Terry Bellefleur was stocking up the drinks behind the bar it made it even more difficult to get around behind the bar.

Jane Bodehouse, a local widow was sat up at the bar, getting drunk and trying to find someone to take home for the night, which she usually never achieved. She was just finishing her drink before she pushed it toward Tara.

"Hey sugar, make mama another stinger would ya?"

Tara walked up to the bar and leaned on it, getting very uncomfortably close to the woman, Carla put down her cleaning towel and walked beside Tara before she started a long and aggressive lecture at the woman.

"Any particular drink you'd like Ms. Bodehouse?" Carla said, a smile on her face, she picked up the woman's cup and place it in the sink.

"Err, no, whatever you have that's nice and cheap" She replied, and Tara stepped back from the bar, giving Carla a dirty look.

"Bitch, what the hell you doing?"

"Tara, we're here to sell drinks, not to give life lessons" Carla answered, making the woman another drink.

"That's right Paula, and let's keep it that way-" Sam agreed, coming to the bar to wipe something down. "By the way Tara, I told you where you could buy your uniform"

"Sam, how come you don't wear a uniform?" Tara asked, trying to make a point.

"Because i own this place and i do what i want"

"Well then… how come Terry Bellefleur don't wear a uniform?"

Terry made a worried face, as if he didn't know how to answer that.

"I think Terry has spent enough time in a uniform" Carla cut in, giving Terry a smile while giving Jane her drink, and then going back to leaning against the bar. Terry smiled back at her, before going back to his work.

"No, because he's a man, and Sam don't feel the need to sexualize the men in his employment the same way he do the women" Tara said, looking at Sam and at Carla.

"Maybe they don't have to wear a uniform to be sexualised?" Carla shrugged, winking at Terry. He blushed.

Tara held her ground though.

"Okay" Sam gave in. "You don't have to wear a uniform"

"Thank you" Tara said.

"Hey… does that mean I don't have to wear a uniform too?" Carla asked, a cheeky smile on her face.

"Yes, you have to wear a uniform"

"Huh, why?" Carla moaned.

"Cos you aren't as awkward as Tara, you'll do what I say" Sam grinned, walking back towards the kitchen.

* * *

Carla was completely zoned out running on auto pilot cleaning glasses when she heard Tara and Dawn speaking, though she was only half paying attention, they were talking about Jason. When Dawn walked away laughing, Carla turned to Tara, who walked away towards the till.

"You're way to obvious Tara" Carla commented, and Tara shrugged.

Sookie came rushing through from the back. "God knows what happened to my tables" Suddenly the TV caught her attention, and she asked Tara to turn it up, which she did.

Carla looked up at the television, the headline read 'Anti-vampire activist killed in accident'.

The news anchor talked about the Reverend that preached anti-vampire agendas had been killed along with his wife and child in a high speed car pileup. It was very obvious that vampires were probably the blame, due to the nature of the crash. Carla sighed, and looked at Sookie, who met her gaze.

"Sam told me that you were losing your house soon, do you have a place to stay yet?"

"No, actually, I don't" Carla frowned slightly, leaning against the bar.

"Well, I can speak to my gran and see if we can put you up in Jason's old room" Carla smiled at Sookie.

"Wow Sookie, really? That'd be great"

"Like I said, let me talk to my Gran and see what she says, but I'm sure she'll be fine with it"

"Thanks so much Sook"

"You're more than welcome" Sookie leaned in and whispered in Carla's ear. "Best I can do as repayment for last night" Sookie backed away and winked, and Carla smiled.

* * *

**The next day**

Sam had allowed Carla a day off to move her things into Sookie's, as her Grandmother had readily agreed to let her have Jason's old room. Sookie was now helping her up the stairs with the few boxes of her clothes and belongings which she wanted to keep. Their plan was to unpack Carla's belongings while packing the last few of Jason's belongings which were still in the room and putting them up in the loft.

As they were unpacking and Mrs Stackhouse was downstairs in the kitchen preparing lunch. Sookie began to tell Carla about what went on last night when she went to visit Bill in his house.

She explained that there were three other vampires with him, along with two humans, Sookie had never seen these vampires and they were very different from Bill, they were opening feeding from the two humans that they had brought, referring to them as 'blood bags'.

Sookie seemed very unsure of whether she wanted to get involved in the vampire world.

"I mean, I could have been killed, even Bill said he wasn't as strong as one of the vampires there" Sookie complained, hanging up some of Carla's clothes in her wardrobe.

"Well, Sookie, no-one's forcing you to stay with him, it's completely your choice… but you can't judge a whole race of people by the actions of a few individuals. I mean, for example, Hitler was a terrible person, but just because of his actions, not all Germans are considered to be terrible" Carla suggested, placing Sammy's old alarm clock on the side along with a bottle of water. "Just because he led the German people didn't mean he was a mould for the rest of them."

"I know, I mean, my mind is telling me to leave, but my body, like the rest of me is telling me... different, and I don't know whether to listen to my head or..."

"Your heart" Carla frowned to herself, she knew what the girl meant. Carla herself had been in the same situation at one point in her life, and she was now doubting if her decision was the correct one to make.

"Well, give it a lot of thought, if you make the wrong decision you may end up regretting it" Carla added.

"I will" Sookie said, giving Carla a smile. "Well, welcome to your new home, you are more than welcome to it" Carla smile back.

"Hey, Sookie… I was wondering, why are you so... not frightened?" Carla asked.

"Of what?"

"Of me, you must know I've killed and I'm dangerous to be around, why don't you run a mile?"

"Who am I to be afraid of something out of the ordinary, I mean, I ain't exactly normal. You didn't run a mile from me, I may not have killed anyone but I sure do scare people. I mean, who wants their deepest and darkest secrets known by anyone… I'm just returning the favour"

"Oh… thank you, Sookie"

"Don't thank me, thank my Gran. It's her house after all"

"You two, lunch's ready!" Mrs Stackhouse called from downstairs, as if on cue.

* * *

After lunch Sookie said that she needed to go round Bill's, and she wanted to wait outside to speak with him, this made it apparent to Carla that she was going to make up with him, but she was fine with this. She too needed to speak to Bill, but it would have to be another day.

A few minutes after Sookie left, she called Carla on her mobile, to tell her that she would be back later than she thought. Sam had asked her to check on Dawn, as she hadn't turned up for her shift.

Carla told her it was fine and went to tell her Grandmother, which was the reason Sookie had called Carla in the first place.

Though after Carla had told Mrs Stackhouse, she had an unsettled feeling in her gut and she simply couldn't concentrate on anything. She decided to go to Dawn's house after Sookie, with the gathering feeling like something wasn't quite right.

* * *

When Carla arrived at Dawn's house she realized that indeed something what not as it should be. A lot of cars were parked outside Dawn's house, along with the sheriff's and Sookie's. Carla pulled her car up onto the verge and got out, she was wearing a pair of denim shorts and a tank top, though the temperature really didn't affect her… but she had to fit the stereotype.

Carla noticed Rene, Arlene, Hoyt and Maxine all standing out the front of Rene and Arlene's house, they were watching the front of the property like hawks, for the slightest hint of movement or insight into what was going on inside.

Carla wandered over towards them, hoping to get an explanation from them.

"Dawn's dead Paula" Arlene said, a frown on her face.

"Who's in there?" Carla asked, glancing at the house.

"Sookie and Jason Stackhouse" Maxine butted in, trying to get involved in the conversation.

"It must be the same person who killed Maudette and the Browers girl that did it" Rene added.

"And it can't be Jason" Hoyt added onto that.

"Well whoever it is, I hope they fry the fuck" Rene cursed, to which Arlene turned and scolded him, causing him to apologize.

Carla tilted her head for a moment, looking at Rene, before she turned away to look at the commotion that had started up as someone was led from the house.

Jason was in cuffs and being led to the police car by Andy, the parish detective.

Sookie was out on the porch, watching them drag him away. Carla ducked under the police barricade, slipping on her sun glasses and heading over to Sookie. She looked shell shocked by what she had seen.

Carla pulled Sookie into a hug before sitting down next to her on the front steps of Dawn's house. They sat next to one another in silence for a moment, staring forward.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Sookie" Sookie shrugged.

"Somebody was going to…"

"I suppose"

Sam then came sauntering over to the porch and leaned against the wooden beams that made up the guard rail next to them.

"I'm sorry Sook… I should have come and checked on her myself"

"It's fine Sam, you had the bar to look after" Sam shrugged, also giving a brief nod.

"Do you think I should close the bar? Considering?"

"That'd only be denying people a stiff drink on the day they need it the most" Sookie frowned, "I know today's meant to be my day off and all, but the last thing I need right now is time alone with my thoughts"

"Have you finished unpacking Paula's belongings?" Sam questioned.

"Of course we have, after all, i don't have much of my own… if Sookie's coming in, I'll wait tables too, I can tell tonight's going to be a busy one, considering the circumstances" Carla answered.

Sam nodded, giving a sad smile.

"We'll need to stop by home, change and tell Gran… considering all this business with Jason and the police, I think she should know from me"

Sam nodded. One of the deputes from the sheriff's department requested a key from Sam, as he was the land lord of the housing estate that Dawn lived on. Sam promptly produced he keys and went with the deputy to search Dawn's storage unit.

As Sam left, the new coroner's assistant asked if the two women could move so they could bring Dawn's body out in the large black body bag.

"Sookie, are you going to be okay?" Carla asked, following her closely.

"Carla, I'm going to be just fine, I just need to keep grinding along and not think about what's going on around me"

"Alright…" Carla nodded, smiling the slightest bit at the edge of her lips.

Sookie smiled back and gave her another short hug, before getting in her car to drive back to her Gran's house.

* * *

When they got back to Sookie's Grandmother's house Sookie ran inside to talk to her Grandmother and Carla ran upstairs to get changed for her shift at Merlotte's, thinking it was only respectful to give the two their privacy.

Though unfortunately she could hear them from upstairs in her room without really trying, so as she got dressed, she listened to their entire conversation.

Sookie's Grandmother spoke in a hushed volume but this didn't change the ease at which they could be heard. The two spoke about the frequency of the murders and if the police turned over no suspects or culprits at the end of their investigation the town would turn to the only person with a motive and without an alibi, Jason.

Adele told Sookie to listen in on people, and see if she could learn anything about what was going on in the town and who the actually killer was. Adele told Sookie to try and clear her brother and prove he didn't commit a crime, that he wasn't a murderer.

Once the two had finished the conversation, Carla got up from where she was sat on her bed and intercepted Sookie on the bottom floor of the house.

"I'll drive, wait in my car, I'll just get my keys… I left them in the kitchen after lunch"

Sookie smiled and nodded, heading out the front floor and letting it swing shut behind her.

Carla walked from the front hallway into the kitchen, though her keys were already in her pocket, she only wished to talk to Adele.

The old woman was still leaned over the kitchen sink, as if deep in thought.

Carla walked up to the woman and pulled off her glasses, revealing her eyes to the woman. Carla took her hand, and Adele saw what Sookie had seen when she had touched her.

"I'll protect her" Carla promised, slipping her sunglasses back on, the old woman smiled in understanding.

"Thank you dear, thank you so much" Carla spun on her heel and strode out of the house, getting into the driver's side and set off to Merlotte's.

* * *

As the night wore on Carla started to regret coming in, the bar was so busy that there were barely spare seats for the customers that were coming in. Carla was looking after Dawn's section while Tara took the bar.

The night went very slowly, the only time it was broken up was when Sookie's brother Jason limped into the bar caked in sweat. Carla could smell the vampire blood being sweated out of his body, and it made her feel sick, apparently Jason was addicted to V now as well, now when should she drop this bombshell to Sookie.

Shortly after that, Vampire Bill came strolling in, and sat down in Sookie's section, of course. Arlene strode straight over to him, taking his order and then coming back to the bar where Carla was lent on the wood to give Tara the order.

"He wants O but give him A neg"

"We have plenty of both…"

"I don't care, and I don't microwave it neither, he can have it cold"

"You are terrible"

Then Sookie came over to start a cat fight and Carla decided she needed a break.

"Sam, I need a break for a couple of minutes" Sam nodded and Carla wandered outside. Feeling the eyes of Bill on her, she wasn't sure why.

She stepped outside into the parking lot and took a deep breath of the cold night air, it was only early and there was still a whole load of hours before she got off for the night.

Suddenly the door to the bar opened and Sookie walked out dragging the vampire by his arm into the parking lot, probably to get some privacy. Thankfully Sookie didn't notice Carla, so she silently listened in on the two.

They started talking about Dawn's murder and Jason being a suspect in the case, then the conversation turned to Sookie listening in on people. Carla guessed it meant she had been using her telepathy to listen to people inside the bar, something it was very foolish to tell a vampire about, it just put her in more danger.

Shortly after that the conversation turned to a vampire bar in Shreveport where the two most recent murder victims hung out. When Sookie mentioned this, Bill looked discouraged, and sighed.

"Fangtasia" Bill stated, tilting his head to the side to look at Sookie.

"Fang-Tasia?" Sookie tilted her head to the side, over pronouncing the syllables.

"Yes… you see, vampires are very old, mostly. Puns are… or used to be, very humerous."

"Well I was thinking if I went there I could do some sniffing around… you think maybe you could take me?"

"How about tonight?" Carla turned her head to look at the two now. Bill was staring right at her, with a smug look on his face, he was scheming, what was his plan?

"The sooner the better I just gotta tell Sam I'm leaving and run home and change"

The vampire had a look on his face like a predator dangling a tasty morsel right in front of his open jaws for Carla to try and snatch.

"I'll meet you there" Bill nodded, now looking at Sookie again.

"Bill, I'm asking you this as a friend, this isn't a date"

"No, it's not a date" Carla said walking over to Sookie, and taking Bill's bait. "Because I'm coming with you"

"Fine" Bill assured, with a false seriousness on his face.

"Let's go" Carla decided, walking back into the bar to tell Sam that the two of them were leaving. Sam wasn't happy, but there wasn't much he could say considering the two of them were meant to be off for the day anyway, so he let them go without lecture or warning. Partly because he didn't have a chance to say anything before Carla dragged Sookie out of the bar and into the car.

* * *

When they arrived back home Carla pulled herself out of the car and strode into the house. She hadn't said a word to Sookie on the way back and now she still didn't say a word, she was still desperately trying to work out why Bill was so interested in getting her to come. He never said he wanted her to come, but she knew by the look in his eye and the way he was speaking to Sookie as well as speaking to her, over Sookie's shoulder.

There was something wrong, very wrong.

* * *

**I know, two chapters in one day! At the moment i a well ahead into the second season of True blood with what i have written, so i thought i better start releasing these chapters a little faster, Thanks again for reading, next chapter will be a good one, or i hope you think so! Thanks for the support and i hope you enjoy reading as much as i enjoy writing! Until next time,**

**-Shad out :)**


	7. Investigating

**Welcome back, I really hope you enjoy this chapter! I couldn't wait to write this one! Thanks for coming back and i hope you like it! ^^**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter seven - Investigating

* * *

Carla pulled on a pair of black jeans and a black tank top, she didn't have any make up to put on, so she simply pulled on a leather jacket and rammed one of the only pictures of Sammy she still had into her pocket along with her purse. She headed down stairs, only to find the hallway empty as Sookie was still putting on her clothes and makeup.

A few minutes later Sookie came rushing down the stairs as if she was late for something. Carla stood up straight and went to grab the door knob.

"Wait a second, I need to ask you something" Sookie asked, and Carla turned around to face her.

"What is it?" Carla asked.

"Why did you want to come?"

"Because I want to find out if any of them had seen Sammy hanging around that bar, she was one of the murdered girls too you know"

"Alright then, just, be nice to Bill… he's actually a really nice guy when you get to know him"

"I'm sure" Carla wasn't so sure about that. "I'll be civil, I'm not like Arlene or Sam" Sookie smiled and nodded.

The glare of Bill's headlights came in through the porch windows and they both went out to meet him.

* * *

Soon they were all in the car driving towards Shreveport. It was completely silent and no one said much.

"Penny for your thoughts" Sookie requested, glancing over at Bill, who was driving.

"I thought you liked not knowing what I'm thinking?"

"Most of the time-"

Bill kept glancing over at Sookie and looking her up and down, she was wearing a rather showy white sundress with red flowers all over.

"You won't like it"

"I'd still like to hear it"

There was a pause.

"You look like vampire bait"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sookie asked, laughing.

"What he means is that when you walk into that bar it's going to be very difficult for any vampire not to notice you, you stand out" Carla cut in, her eyes watching the trees at the side of the road as they flew by the car. Bill nodded in agreement.

"Or are you saying you think I look nice?" Sookie smirked.

"Doesn't matter what I think… this isn't a date, remember?" Bill went back to focusing on driving, leaving Sookie slightly disheartened.

* * *

Soon after that Bill parked up, and they all got out, Bill lead them to the entrance of the bar, which had a glowing pink sign on the door reading 'Fangtasia'. All three of them went in in a line, Bill put his arm around Sookie and pulled her close to him, as if to protect her.

Just past the entrance was a tall blonde vampire in leathers, her hair pulled back into a bun behind her head, she had an ornate black necklace on with blood red lipstick.

"Bill, haven't seen you in a while"

"I'm mainstreaming"

"Good for you… and your friends?"

"Pam, I'd like you to meet Sookie-" Bill indicated toward Sookie. "And..."

"Paula" Carla introduced herself, as Bill did on know her name.

"Pleased to meet you" Sookie smiled, offering her hand to Pam, who simply looked down at it, not taking it.

"Can I see some ID?" the vampire requested. Carla handed her purse to the vampire at lightning speed. Pam took it and looked down at her driver's licence. Sookie offered hers too, and Pam took that as well, studying them both. "Vampire problems… it's incredibly difficult for me to tell human ages, we must be sure we serve no minors…" Pam informed them.

Pam handed back their purses and let them by. Carla scanned the bar for any familiar faces, following the two who were in front of her, heading for the bar.

"Let me buy us a drink" Bill offered when they arrived.

"Bill, how's it going?" The bar tender greeted, heading over to serve them.

"Very well thank you" Bill replied.

"I'll say… it looks like it, are these your meals for tonight?"

"These are my friends… Paula and Sookie. This is Longshadow"

"Nice to meet you" Sookie smiled at the vampire, sounding innocent.

"I'm not so happy" Carla added, leaning on the bar now, looking at Longshadow, sure that she did not recognize anyone in the bar.

Longshadow stared at Carla in silence for a long moment, analysing her, before Sookie broke the silence.

"I'll have a gin and tonic please"

"And an O negative" followed up.

"Nothing for me" Carla finished.

"Longshadow, Sookie would like to ask you some questions, is this acceptable?" The vampire showed no rejection.

"Have you seen either of these women here before?" Sookie questioned, pulling out two photos. One was of Dawn, and the other Carla guessed was Maudette, another one of the victims.

Carla pulled out her own picture and handed it to Sookie, so she could show them to Longshadow.

"These two I've seen in here before… but, not this one" he said, pointing at the picture of Sammy.

"Do you happen to know who they used to hang around with?" Sookie asked.

"That's something that's not noticed in here…" Longshadow replied, trailing off.

"Well- thank you for your time, I really appreciate it-"

"This one" Longshadow pointed to the picture of Maudette. "She wanted to die"

"But- how do you know that?" Sookie raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone who comes here, they all want it. In some way or another. That's what we are… death." Longshadow finished by putting the drinks on the bar and pushing them towards the two. Sookie picked up the pictures and put them away, and then her drink.

"Thanks" Carla nodded, turning away from the bar to find a seat, the two followed her.

Carla chose a high table with stools, sitting with her back to the wall so she could survey the whole bar.

The two sat down and took sips of their drinks.

"How's your drink?" Bill asked, speaking to Sookie.

"A gin and tonics and gin a tonic no matter where you drink it, really" She smiled.

"I know what you mean" Bill replied, smiling back at her.

Sookie and Carla's eyes were drawn to the same person almost at the same time, a vampire was sat on some sort of throne on an elevated platform in the corner of the room. He sat alone, the throne he was on was old and wooden and was carved with jewels and engravings.

He was slouched and staring forward at nothing with a bored look on his face. He had long, slender legs, with a wide torso and long blonde hair, down to his shoulders. His leather trousers were well fitted and not too tight, also wearing a black shirt and leather jacket, he looked as if he was not quite there.

"Who's that?" Sookie and Carla asked in unison, though Carla could guess he was a member of the undead.

"I knew you'd notice him…" Bill pretended to be jealous.

"No- not like that-"

"Everyone does" Bill nodded, smiling. "That's Eric, he's about the oldest thing in here"

As Bill was talking, a balding man in a suit without the jacket climbed onto Eric's stage of sorts, and touched his leg. Instantly he was kicked away and landed in a pool of broken glass with a nasty looking head wound. Most of the vampires in the bar drew their fangs, but a women in a tight leather costume picked up the man, her fangs very obvious. She led the man away from the bar, into the bathrooms.

Sookie looked nervous, but Carla gave her a reassuring look.

After a few moments of silence between them, Bill spoke up.

"Heard anything useful?"

"Nothing other than just… sex, sex and more sex…"

"Well I think you can tell that just by looking" Carla said, winking at Sookie.

Shortly after that, Carla noticed movement out of the corner of her eye up on the stage, the vampire who'd IDed them at the door was now next to Eric, whispering something in his ear.

Eric turned his head and met Carla's dark brown, black rimmed eyes with his icy blue ones. She looked away quickly, down at the table in front of her.

"Shit" Carla cursed, and Bill looked up to see what had startled her.

"Shit? What do you mean shit?" Sookie asked, sounding worried.

"Eric's just taken a liking to us"

"He's going to summon us" Bill commented, and all three of them looked at the vampire. He beckoned them towards him.

Bill took Sookie's hand, and then offered one to Carla, as if offering his protection. Carla shook her head.

"I think I can handle this, Bill." She got up and led the two towards the stage.

"Bill Compton, it has been a while" Eric sounded barely interested.

"Yes, well... I've been-"

"Mainstreaming" Eric finished Bill's sentence, saying the word with particular disgust as if it was a vile, forbidden thing that he didn't like to speak of. "I heard" He gave Bill a sarcastic look. Carla could almost feel the anger radiating from Bill. He then moved his gaze to Sookie and Carla. "I see that is going well for you" Sarcasm almost flowing from his words.

"Uh, yes, this is my friend-" Bill started again, trying to keep his cool.

"Sookie Stackhouse" Eric broke him off again.

"How do you know my name?" Sookie asked, and Carla nudged her. As if to tell her to stop asking stupid questions.

"I never forget a pretty face... you're in my vault" Pam pointed to her head, with a certain sweetness in her voice.

"Well... that's just great" Sookie commented with false optimism.

"It's nice to meet you"

"Well aren't you sweet"

"Not really" Carla nudged Sookie again, warning her.

"And Paula Bambridge" Carla nodded, an intense stare on her face, looking straight into Eric's eyes.

"Well it's good to know I have my place in the vault too" Carla stated, putting one hand on her hip and giving a smile to Pam. Who gave her a wink back.

Eric chuckled "Vår lilla djurpark börjar växa" (Our little animal park is beginning to grow) Eric addressed Pam over his shoulder.

"Jag vet" (I know) Pam replied, with a smile.

"Hur exotiska arter har blivit" (How exotic the species have become) Carla replied, which caused both of the vampires to look at her, to which she gave a sly smile.

"I understand that you have been asking questions about some of my customers" Eric returned to his other language, looking at Carla still but addressing Sookie.

"Yes I have" Sookie nodded.

"If you have anything to ask, you should ask it of me" Eric explained, finally looking away from Carla at Sookie.

"Well- okay" Sookie pulled the three photos out of her bag. "You recognize any of these girls?" She handed the pictures to Eric.

He took them and grunted, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"This one offered herself to me… but I thought her too pathetic for my attentions" He was pointing at the picture of Maudette. Carla narrowed her eyes at the man, as if trying to read his mind. Eric pretended not to notice.

"Now, this one, however… I have tasted" He let out a sigh as if he was proud, this was Dawn's picture.

"And finally, I haven't seen this girl in here before" Eric looked up, handing the pictures back to Sookie.

"I remember them all" Pam added.

"Are they also in the vault?" Carla quickly cut in, before Sookie could say anything stupid.

"Never had those two, they weren't really my type, and the third one, I saw her hanging around outside the bar once or twice, she never came in though" Carla nodded.

"Well... Thank you very much, that's all of your time I need to be taking" Sookie said, desperate to get away.

"I'm not finished with you yet" Eric ordered, authority thick in his voice.

"On the contrary- I think you are" Sookie snapped back.

Eric stood up from his chair in his unnatural speed. Carla stood in front of Sookie. Bill stepped forward to protect her too.

Carla had fire in her eyes and she threatened the tall vampire right them, her mouth was dead straight and he didn't try to get any closer to Sookie. He simply stood there, and they continued to fight one another with their eyes.

"Please, sit" Eric offered, indicating the chairs next to his throne, but he didn't break eye contact with Carla, who was still threatening him.

"No, thank you- I think we should be going now" Carla replied, the aggression in her voice was like a wrecking ball impacting into the side of a building, heavy and meaningful.

"Bill, may I ask if you are very attached to your two friends"

"Sookie is mine" Bill stated, a husky growl in his voice.

"And I'm not interested" Carla added, tilting her head to the side slightly, curling her hands into fists.

"Well, what a pity... for me" Eric stated, still not backing down.

"Bill, Carla, we need to leave" Sookie informed them suddenly, with great urgency.

"I can see that Sookie" Carla agreed, not breaking eye contact.

"Eric, the cops are coming there's going to be a riot" Eric drew his fangs, glancing at Sookie and then back to Carla.

"Tell me you're not an undercover cop"

"We aren't" Carla growled through gritted teeth.

"But that man in the hat is!" Sookie added, indicating to one of the men in the crowd.

"Even if you're right we do nothing illegal here" Eric assured, trying to remain calm.

"Except from maybe public feeding. I'm pretty sure that man you kicked earlier and that vamp that led him away are carrying out just that offence in the men's bathrooms right now" Carla pointed out, a smile caressing the edges of her lips.

"How do you know this?" Pam asked.

Sookie glanced over at Bill, who looked back her and shook his head.

"Police! Police! Police!" A man started yelling, scattering the people who were at the bar and on the dance floor.

Eric looked away and broke eye contact, and strode down from the platform. "Follow me" he ordered.

They ran out the back door of the bar. Carla was right behind Eric, and she pulled off her shirt as quick as she could, she wouldn't have time to do the rest.

"You take Sookie, I'll find my own way!" Carla jumped on a dumpster and then on to the roof of a low building across from the bar. She was convinced that the vampires would be gone now, so she transformed effortlessly and ran towards the trees that led back to Bon Temps.

Her cheetah form had rather inconspicuous bright white fur that made her stick out like a sore thumb in the darkness, but there was no other way she would escape the police, being caught in a vampire bar would not be the best place to be caught at after a police raid.

Once Carla fell in to the rhythmic movement of her paws as they propelled her along at a high speed towards home, she started to hear the well-known swooshing sound from behind her of a vampire running at their supernatural speed. She glanced of course for one moment, and looked back, seeing a blurred tall form behind her, catching up.

Shit, she thought.

She pushed her muscles to go faster, going right to the limit, she knew she must be almost home by now, and when she saw the form of the house through the trees ahead, she knew she was almost safe. But there was the ever approaching sound of the vampire behind her, whoever it was, but she was pretty sure of who it might be.

She crashed into the clearing that made up the garden of the Stackhouse house, catching her arm on an outstretched branch of an old sturdy tree, making a deep gash in her shoulder. Although she did not stop, and barely made it through the door before the vampire was on her.

Of course, it was Eric, who was stood just outside the door way, looking down on her. She had morphed back into her human form, and instinctively grabbed the closest thing to her that was wooden, which happened to be a piece of the stairs banister.

"What the fuck do you want-?" Sweat was trailing down Carla's forehead and her muscles ached as if she'd pulled all of them at the exact same moment. Blood was making a road down her arm and dripping onto the wooden floor of the hallway.

"What are you?" Eric asked, pacing outside the door like a caged animal.

"None of your damn business… now if you please, can you get the fuck off my property" Eric laughed.

"I love it when they fight, nothing fun when they just give in"

Carla stood up, walking over to the door, portion of wooden banister in hand.

"Don't make me kill you, because trust me, I will"

"God… you smell delicious" Eric's expression suddenly went serious, it was obvious what mind games he had decided to try now, glamour.

"Won't you invite me in, Paula?" This time, Carla laughed.

"Doesn't work on me- I'm afraid, poor little vampire. Now, if I were you, I'd leave, before I put this wood right through your chest"

"Empty threats will get you nowhere, I will have Sookie"

"I'll die first"

"So be it"

"And I'll take you with me"

"I doubt that"

"Let's see then"

Again they both stared intensely at one another. But Eric suddenly backed down.

"Good night, Paula Bambridge, we will meet again, I am sure of it"

"I count on it"

"As do I" And within a second, he was gone.

Carla slammed the door shut, and leaned her back against it, falling down into a sitting position.

"Holy grapes, what has happened to you dear?" Adele Stackhouse came rushing down the stairs, or at the pace that would be considering rushing for someone of her age.

"We had some trouble at that vampire bar, it was raided by the police. I assure you we were doing nothing wrong, but you know how the police feel about vampires now a days… and Sookie's safe, I made sure she got out before me, Bill's driving her home I suspect"

"Well I'll be damned, what a night, how did you do that there" She indicated toward Carla's arm, which was bleeding quite a lot.

"Oh... I tripped and fell, I must have cut myself" thankfully Carla's clothes had appeared back on her once she transformed back, so she was not completely naked in the hallway. Adele helped her up and took her to the kitchen, where she got her first aid kit out, and started to patch Carla up.

Now Carla understood why Bill had wanted her to come tonight. Now she was in deep trouble.

* * *

**How'd you guys like that! Please review! I really want to know what you think about Carla's first encounter with Eric! Anyway, i will be updating again soon (hopefully), looking forward to seeing you guys back in the next one (again... hopefully ;)) Thanks for reading, and see you soon!**

**-Shad out **


	8. Yet Another Murder

**Welcome back! Good to see you are back for another dose, and i hope you enjoy it! I may start skipping up and coming episodes of True blood due to the sake of cutting out boring stuff that no-one wants to read, that means there'll be more content and less so called non-content. Anywho, thanks for taking the time to read this, enjoy!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter eight - Yet Another Murder

* * *

The next morning, Carla wandered downstairs half asleep, to sit at the dining table. Adele was stood at the stove, on the phone, so Carla tried to be as quiet as possible to not interrupt their conversation.

Last night Adele had bandaged and disinfected the wound on Carla's arm, after pulling out lots of sprinters and wooden shards, not that it would make any difference, the woman's wounds would heal almost instantly in the sun light, disinfected or not. Shortly after she had finished the two had heard commotion from the front porch, and knew instantly that it was Bill and Sookie. Carla went to get up and find out what the problem was, but Adele stopped her.

She told Carla to let them sort it out themselves, and she believed that Bill would not harm Sookie. Carla was surprised by her trustworthiness.

When the voices died down and the front door slammed shut, Sookie came striding through into the kitchen, and looked at the two.

She interrogated them about what they heard, but indeed neither of them knew what the couple had been talking about as they were too far away. Adele went up to bed shortly after that and Carla followed, with Sookie going up last.

"I suggest you hear him out, before you take to lynching him" Sookie's grandmother said, pulling Carla back into the present.

Carla looked at the back of the woman, who still hadn't notice she had come downstairs.

But the sound of Sookie walking into the kitchen made her change her tone and subject of conversation.

"Well, I will be at the church early, Mr Compton's talk starts at eight" Carla now knew what the conversation was about.

"Okay, bye now" Adele put the phone down, coming to put a fried egg on everyone's plate.

"Lots of early calls today" Sookie commented.

"Well, everyone's excited about meeting our vampire friend tonight…" Adele explained, with a smile. "And, what, if I may ask, was all that commotion last night?" Adele asked, putting the pan back on the stove.

"Please don't tell me you're pinning all your hopes on a vampire"

"He seems like a very nice man to me"

"Well… he's not"

"Not nice?"

"Or a man, for that matter"

"Oh goodness… I suppose you had a fight then?"

"Sounded like it from what I heard" Carla butted in, glancing up from her breakfast to Sookie, who shot daggers at her.

"No, actually, well-... I don't think Bill and I have much in common. He doesn't seem to think like we do or feel like we do- if he feels at all"

"Well, I know that if I had a chance to know somebody who'd experienced the world differently… I'd see it as a blessing and not something to be scared of..." Adele told Sookie, then the phone started ringing.

"I don't hate him" Sookie assured her, shaking her head. "I just don't wanna be his girlfriend" Sookie took a sip of her orange juice. "Gran- the phone's ringing"

Carla stretched her hand out indicating Adele should give it to her. She handed it over and Carla pressed the hang up button, and it stopped ringing.

"Take a break, plenty of time for talking tonight at the meeting" Carla explained, going back to her breakfast.

* * *

Work went by without a hitch, everyone in the bar was talking about the Descendants of the glorious dead meeting in the church that night which would be attended by Bill. As he had took part in the American civil war, he was going to do a talk on it and his experiences. Carla was able to work due to the sun being strong, her wound healed up in a matter of hours and only Sookie seemed to notice, though she was unsurprised.

Carla wasn't going, however, because she was going to watch the house while Sookie and Adele went to the meeting, as Adele had arranged it and Sookie was going to please her grandmother. The house would be empty for a few hours and Adele was worried, so Carla had agreed to stay home and look after the place.

Carla got home just as it was getting dark, she was looking down at her feet as she reached into her bag to get the front door keys, the familiar yet worrying swooshing sound caught her attention. She froze half way up the porch steps, and slowly raised her eyes to meet that of the vampire on the porch.

Eric was standing in front of the door, looking down at her, with a huge, triumphant smile on his face.

"Good evening, Paula" He greeted in a cheery tone, stepping towards her.

Carla responded by taking a step back.

"What are you doing here?" Carla asked, trying to ignore the growing fear at the back of her mind that threatened to overcome her.

The route to the front door was blocked by a very old, dangerous and inquisitive vampire, and she wouldn't be fast enough to get by him. Unless she transformed, which, after last night, she simply did not have the energy to do.

"You didn't answer my question last night, so I thought I'd come back to ask you again. What exactly are you?"

"You know, curiosity is a dangerous thing, it killed the cat, so they say, maybe it'll kill you too"

"Are you threatening me?" Eric asked, grinning like a Cheshire cat at her, which she found rather funny, considering her last sentence.

"Maybe, it depends how you look at it- I suppose- I mean- I could be warning you"

"Tell me... Why do you protect Sookie?"

"Tell me, why is it your business?"

"Because I made it my business"

"I think I'll be the one to decide what your business is and what isn't" Eric drew his fangs at that, as a warning. Carla prevented her body from showing any other emotion but completely stoic.

"You do realize I could drain you dry of every drop of your precious blood in a matter of seconds" Eric leaned back against the front door of the house.

"Just. Fucking. Try." Carla taunted, walking up the porch steps so she was fully on the porch, staring intently at the vampire.

Before she could blink her back was slammed against the door frame where Eric had been leaning. Eric was pinning her shoulder against the wood with one hand, while pulling her head, by her hair, to the side, so he had easy access to her neck.

"Boom... you're dead" Eric said mockingly into her ear, his face right next to hers.

"So are you" Carla snarled back. Eric moved his face farther back to look down at the shard of wood clutched in Carla's hand, her makeshift stake that she had put in her handbag just in case of this sort of situation. It was pressed rather heavily against his exposed chest, where the jacket he was wearing wasn't buttoned up completely.

Eric laughed and stepped back away from her, saluting her and withdrawing his fangs before disappearing into the night almost as quickly as he had appeared.

Carla quickly got through the front door and slammed it behind her, taking deep relaxing breaths.

Thank god that was over, she thought.

* * *

"I'm at that little coffee shop in town, could you please drive down and get me? You know where I mean right?" Sookie almost shouted down the phone, sounding angry and frustrated.

"Yes Sookie, it's fine- I'll come out and pick you up, have you seen your gran? She isn't home yet"

"She said she was going to go and do some shopping before she got home, so that's probably why. Just lock up the house with my keys before you leave, Gran has a set, and she can let herself in when she gets back"

"Alright then, see you in a bit"

"Yep, bye" Sookie almost threw the phone back onto the receiver.

Carla quickly locked the back and the front door, before grabbing her car keys and heading to her car.

Suddenly Bill appeared, coming out of vamp speed a few steps away from Carla, who wasn't surprised.

"What is it Bill?" Carla asked, unlocking her car and opening the driver's side door.

"Is Sookie back yet?" He asked.

"No, I am about to go and get her, come back later"

"I'll wait in the house, is her grandmother home?"

"No, she is out, do not wait on the porch, just go back home until we get back, thanks" Carla got into her car and pulled the door shut, starting the engine and backing out of the drive way without another word. Bill stood there watching her leave. Carla pretended not to notice.

* * *

Carla pulled up the drive way about half an hour later, with Sookie in the passenger seat, apparently Sam had tried to get it off with her. She wasn't comfortable with him trying anything this early in the relationship, especially just after Bill, which was understandable.

Carla was trying to listen to what her friend was saying, but was constantly detracted by the feeling of being watched as they got out of the car, she had that same feeling, like something was desperately wrong.

Sookie led the way to the back door, she noted that Sookie's car was in the drive way, so Gran must have been back. Sookie strode into the back door, and Carla ran after her, fearing the worst.

Suddenly she heard a scream from the kitchen.

"SOOKIE!" Carla ran through the back door and saw what Sookie was looking down at, the body of her Grandmother was lying in a huge pool of blood. She was deathly pale. Carla pulled her face away from it.

"Sookie, don't look, it's me, don't worry" Carla hugged Sookie against her, she was fully in shock, and looked like she might pass out.

Bill then appeared from behind them, looking down at the scene. "Sookie" he said, and she opened her eyes to look at the man.

All of them heard the loud creak of the front porch steps, and the sound of the front door being pushed open. Bill used his supernatural speed to intercept the intruder before he could become a threat.

Carla and Sookie followed him around the corner of the kitchen and into the lounge. Bill had Sam pinned against the wall.

"Get you fucking hands off me!" He yelled in Bill's face.

"What are you doing here?" Bill growled, his fangs exposed.

"I was making sure Sookie got home safe, the door was open!" Sam protested, while choking.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.

"Bill, it's okay, let him go" Sookie stated calmly, starting to shake.

Bill retracted his fangs and released him.

"Sookie?" Sam sounded concerned, spotting the blood on the woman's knees, shins and feet.

"What happened?" Sam questioned, looking between the three of them.

"Gran's... dead" Sookie explained, as if she didn't believe herself.

Carla frowned, and put her around Sookie's shoulders, and she buried her face in her shoulder, not sobbing, just shaking, and feeling numb.

* * *

Within about an hour the sheriff, detective, coroner and his assistant were all out and in the kitchen, inspecting the body.

Sookie looked completely neutral, as if she didn't know what to feel or think, she just kept staring straight at them, her guard was probably down, and she could hear all of the thoughts, rushing at her from all directions.

Sam got her a blanket and wrapped it around her. Carla sat on the floor next to the chair she was sat in, and held her hand, so the other voices were blanked out, she smiled and looked at Sookie, who was now looking back at her. She told her via her telepathy that she was sorry, and that if there was anything she could do for Sookie, Sookie only needed to ask.

Sookie nodded, and stood up.

"I need to get some air" She told Sam, who followed her out of the house.

Carla stood up and went to find Bill, she found him in one of the upstairs room. She assumed it was Sookie's, he was standing by the window.

"So, any idea who did this?" Carla asked, startling Bill, who turned around to face her.

"Not really, though it could have been you?" Bill cocked his head to the side.

"Just as it could be you, Adele let me into her home, she gave me a place to stay, she was very kind, and I would never do that to Sookie. Why would I have any want or reason to kill her?" Bill shrugged. "I would say it was you, but a vampire wouldn't need to get in through the window, or kill her with a knife, now would they, unless of course it's an ingenious cover up" Carla narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe" Bill said, strolling towards Carla. "Had a good time with Eric?"

"Well, he's really quite troublesome, and anyway, you have put Sookie in danger as well, he was asking about her tonight" Bill looked surprised, and slightly angry. "You're not really very good at holding up your end of the bargain"

Sam walked into the room, and looked at the two. "Bill, she's asking for you"

"There something you wanna say to me?" Bill asked, looking at Sam.

"I want you to leave Sookie alone"

"Sookie doesn't much like people taking away her independence"

"You don't have to tell me who Sookie is, I've known for a long time"

"Then you'll know that this is not the time nor the place to start marking your territory"

"There's a woman lying dead downstairs, she wouldn't be there if it weren't for you" Sam stepped closer to Bill, trying to look intimidating. "If anything happens to Sookie, I'll be sharpening a stake with your name on it"

"Oh that's what I'm already planning" Carla cut in, walking out of the room and down to the lounge, to see what progress the law had made.

The coroner and his assistant were still checking the body, while the sheriff and detective were talking in the hall way.

Carla walked towards them. "Anything you need to ask me?" She gave a smile, trying to be polite.

"Uh, yeah, what where you doing in the hours leading up to the murder?" Andy Bellefleur asked, the parish detective.

"Well I was watching the house for Adele while she was at the DGD meeting, she didn't arrive home before I got a call from Sookie to ask me to come and pick her up from a coffee shop in Bon Temps. So I locked the house up and went to go and pick her up, when I came back, Sookie's car was in the drive, so I assumed Adele had gotten back while we were gone. When we went into the house, this is what we found"

Budd and Andy nodded, and Andy wrote a note in his notebook.

"Can anyone prove that?" Budd asked, narrowing an eye at the girl. Carla returned his gaze.

"Yes actually, Vampire Bill came over to ask if Sookie was home yet… I think he may have thought my car was hers after I pulled up, and came to ask. This was when I was about to go out and get Sookie, I asked him to come back later" Again, simultaneous nodding.

"Okay, that's all we need to know, thank you" Carla nodded, with a smile, and walked out to see if Sookie was okay. She was sitting on the top step of the porch, the blanket still around her.

"Is everything okay?" Sookie asked, standing up to meet Carla. Carla nodded, and rubbed Sookie's arm.

"Yes, they're just asking Bill a few questions and then I think they'll be moving Adele" Sookie looked down at her feet, zoning out. Carla pulled her into another hug, trying to reassure her.

About fifteen minutes later, Bill walked out and moved Sookie away from the door, saying that they were about to move Sookie's grandmother.

Once the police had removed the body, they told Sookie that she should probably stay with a friend for the night, or at least somewhere that was less isolated, but Sookie refused.

"I'm not leaving my home, not in the state it is. Gran took a lot of pride in her home, it'd be wrong to leave it in such a state" Sookie complained.

"Well, you call us at the slightest sign of anything then" Budd said, before leaving with the rest of the sheriff's department.

"I'm more than safe out here, I have you three to protect me" Sookie smiled ever so slightly.

"Sookie... I have to go" Bill reminded her, as it would soon be dawn.

"Of course... but I'm sure Carla can protect me during the day, as well as Sam" Carla nodded, giving her a smile. "I'll be fine"

"Very well. Good night Sookie" Bill said goodbye, telling Sookie that he would come back tomorrow night, before leaving.

"There's an extra mop round back, do you mind getting it Sam?"

"Of course not, I'll be right back" Sookie gave a half-hearted smile, and headed inside, with Carla behind her.

* * *

Sookie, Carla and Sam spent the rest of the night cleaning up the blood on the kitchen floor and cabinets, as it got to dawn, people began arriving to give their condolences to Sookie about her Grandmother. The day went by terribly slowly, at one point Jason came storming into the house and up the stairs. Carla followed him, seeing he was in a state, and he might do something he would regret later.

Jason hit Sookie across the face, and Tara started yelling at him, telling him to get out. So Carla grabbed Jason by the arm and pulled him out of the house, telling him to leave. He stunk of vampire blood and Carla knew he was suffering the withdrawal symptoms of V.

Bill came to watch over Sookie for the night, he stood outside and watched the house with a bottle of Tru blood in hand.

The next day they had the funeral, which Carla didn't attend, as Carla barely knew Adele, and didn't feel like it was her place. She stayed in the house most of the day, thinking of who the murderer could be, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't work out who it might be.

* * *

**Sorry about the crappy ending, i didn't really want to get my OC involved with Sookie while she is grieving, i just don't think it's her place, she barely knew Adele compared to Sookie, and the other characters, so i think it's right that i left her out of it, Carla was there when Sookie needed her, and that's all that matters in my eyes. Anyway, thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you next time, i hope! Feel free to review if you think i should have done something differently or have an opinion to share, i appreciate the input! Until next time, **

**-Shad out**


	9. Vampire Trouble at Merlotte's

**Welcome back, good to see you! Thanks for coming back to read some more! I hope you enjoy this chapter, eventhough it is a little short, i will explain why it will be a little short at the end of the chapter, but at least this chapter is a little action packed. Enjoy reading! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter nine - Vampire Trouble at Merlotte's

* * *

Next time Carla saw Sookie was at Merlotte's the next night, where she seemed very happy, considering.

Carla was bar tending tonight, as Tara called and said she wasn't coming in, so there were only two waitresses.

Carla was in the middle of filling up another pitcher of beer when she heard Sookie and Arlene talking next to her.

She wasn't very interested in what they were talking about, and so she ignored them. She was too busy thinking about who was the murderer, she simply couldn't allow the killings to go on, she needed to find out who was responsible, especially considering that they were now targeting Sookie.

Carla was snapped out of her thoughts by Arlene whispering urgently at her.

"Sookie's been with that vampire!"

"Nah…" Rene butted in, trailing off. "Dat's just bar talk" He assured, holding a bear at the bar.

"She told me herself! God- what if she's pregnant!? How's she going to nurse a baby with fangs?"

Carla looked up and rolled her eyes. "Arlene- Vampires can't reproduce… not with humans or anything." She blinked.

Arlene crossed her arms. "How the hell do you know-!? He might have infected her for all you know!" She whispered back furiously.

Sam flung his dish town down onto the bar, his anger was tangible in the air. He rushed over to Sookie and yanked the white scarf with polka dots on it away from her throat, revealing her bite marks.

Carla sighed and rubbed her face with her hand.

"Get off me Sam Merlotte you have no right to touch me!" She screamed at him.

"Sookie- You stupid! Stupid girl!"

"What I do out of hours has nothing to do with you! And yes, I had sex with Bill- and since all of you are too chicken to ask, it was great! Now if you how a problem with that- you can just fucking fire me!" Sookie rushed off into the back after slamming her tray into Sam's chest, who turned to follow her.

"Sam" Carla spoke up, getting his attention, leaning on the bar. "Leave her"

* * *

Later in the evening, just as Carla was coming back from the bathrooms, she noted the completely silence that had fell over the once busy bar, she only heard two voices.

"Discrimination against vampires is punishable by law in the great state of Louisiana… personally, I don't get a fuck, but I, am, thirsty"

Carla came round the corner and saw that three vampires had entered the bar.

"This isn't discrimination against vampires, this is discrimination against you" Carla butted in, walking up behind the vampire, next to Sookie, her hands on her hips.

"Plus, you are not welcome here" Sam added.

The female vampire laughed "That shit only works in a private home" She was holding one of the men in the bar by the neck.

The male vampire turned around and gasped over dramatically, he was looking at Sookie. "How nice to see you again Sookie!" He wandered over towards her, along with the female vampire. "You are looking delectable as always"

"You know them?" Sam asked.

"Unfortunately…"

"Well well, it looks like little miss hold out has given up the goods" the vampire grinned, glancing at Sookie's bite wound. "So the next question is, did he leave enough for the rest of us?"

"I am his" Sookie stated assuredly.

"Well... he is not here is he, and while Bill's away, Malcolm will always play!" Carla stood between the vampire and Sookie, giving him an intense stare.

"Well then, let's play" Carla snarled, slowly balling her hands into fists.

"Don't you ever think that I'd have anything to do with you, I bet you were trash when you were alive and now you're just dead trash!" Sookie yelled, pushing the vampire away with one hand that she snaked around Carla.

"I'm going to suck you fucking dry…-" Malcolm threatened, a hateful smile on his face.

Terry then yelled and ran at the vampire, who easily flung him aside.

Sam cracked a pool cue over his leg to make a make shift stake.

"You're now a dead man" Malcolm turned, pointing to Sam.

"Maybe- but I'm gonna take one of you with me" Sam assured, running at the vampire. But had the tall muscular vampire, the third of the group, disarm him and pin him to the bar.

Carla intervened, yanking the muscular vampire's hand back hard enough to dislocate his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. She yanked him away from the bar and onto the ground, leaving him to writhe in pain, turning to the other two.

"I hate to hit women, but unfortunately, you've pissed me off" Malcolm commented, and Carla smiled.

"Let's dance you dead fuck" she growled.

"Stop this! Now!" Bill yelled, arriving in the bar.

Carla stepped back, helping Sam to move away from the vampires, he said he was okay, so she went to help Terry.

"You're here for me, not for them" Bill glared, addressing Malcolm.

"Well we had to get your attention, and I do believe it worked" he replied.

"What do you want?"

"You never called me back, now if I remembered what feelings were I think mine'd be hurt right about now"

"Join our nest… Bill" the female vampire said, stroking Bill's face. "Forget these blood sacks" she glanced around the bar.

"Yeah" The tall, bald and tattooed vampire said, having clicked his arm back into its socket, hauling himself up from the ground.

"Let's party like me used to, huh?" the female vampire said, chuckling. "We used to have so, much, fun"

"Alright" Bill looked from Sookie to Carla, he was trying to get the vampires out of the bar. "Let's go"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Sookie asked.

"I should be with my own" Bill answered.

"You're better than them, you're better than they'll ever be"

"I am not human, Sookie… I am vampire" Bill then left with the other vampires, while the female vampire chuckled.

Carla helped Terry to his feet, he was shaking and twitchy, his eyes glancing around erratically.

"Terry, it's okay, listen to me… focus on me, you're in Merlotte's, come with me, you can calm down in the back" Arlene helped hold Terry up with Carla, taking him into the back.

Arlene and Carla sat Terry up against one of the walls, and he pulled his legs up and became a ball.

"I froze up! I let everybody down! I didn't do nothing!" Terry said, he was red and looked completely terrified.

"This ain't Baghdad Terry, it's Merlotte's okay" Arlene held Terry's hand and he nodded, taking deep breaths.

"There wasn't anything to be done, don't worry"

"I'm supposed to- be able to, protect people…" Terry started to well up.

"It's okay Terry, no-one got hurt and that's all that matters right now, just don't worry about it" Carla soothed.

"Shh..." Arlene smiled, trying to soothe Terry also.

"Just take your time, when you feel better, either go back to work, or come and tell me you're leaving' and I'll let Sam know. You won't get in any trouble, I promise you" Carla reassured Terry, nodding and giving him a smile, she headed back towards the bar with Arlene.

"These rednecks are getting all riled up, they're going to go after those vampires" Sookie and Sam were at the bar, talking about the people one of the tables, which were talking about burning down the vampire's house.

"That's not my problem" Sam answered.

"I hope they kill them all" Arlene added, getting her tray and going to get her orders.

"Bill… he's not like that..!" Sookie replied.

"He went with them" Sam stated the obvious. "Looks awfully like he was exactly like them…"

"That was just an act, he was trying to get them out of here, lords knows I was outnumbered, and there wasn't much choice" Carla interrupted, looking at Sam.

Sookie nodded in agreement with Carla.

"Regardless… He belongs with his own-" Sam threw back.

"Dear god are you listening to yourself!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Look, whatever happens between the two of you behind closed doors is fine- just keep it, and him, out of _my_ bar!"

Sookie sighed in frustration and walked out the back of the bar.

Carla was impressed that she had kept her control, especially since it was a full moon tonight. She was happy she was finally gaining more control over her abilities, or maybe it was just because she was still tired after missing two whole days of sleep a day ago.

Sookie left early that night, to go and check on Bill. Carla helped Sam and Arlene clean up before they locked up the bar for the night.

When Carla arrived home she got in the house without any trouble, she had not seen Eric for a few days now, and was happy that he was giving her a wide birth. Though she hadn't left the house for a couple of days, she vainly hoped he had given up in his pursuit of her.

Carla was too exhausted to climb the stairs, so she crashed out on the couch after locking the house up.

* * *

Carla stood behind the Merlotte's bar, not really paying attention to what was going on around her, just on autopilot with her brain still trying to rest. Arlene was the only waitress in at that point, as Sookie was late and she was having to run all of the food out by herself, it was Tara's day off so Carla was tending the bar again. Sam was doing his best to keep up with waiting tables as well, but he was continuously side-tracked by odd jobs.

"Where the hell is Sookie today?!" Arlene yelled, rushing from the kitchen with a giant tray full of orders.

Suddenly Sookie came waltzing around the corner and walked over to Arlene, who was at the bar. She suddenly gave her a big hug, and then wandered off to Rene and Hoyt's table.

"What's with her?" Arlene shrugged at Carla's question.

"Hell if I know-" Arlene added.

"Bill's not dead" Sam stated simply, walking behind the bar.

"But I thought?" Arlene furrowed her brow.

"Yeah, me too" Sam replied.

"Well who was the fourth body then?" Carla asked.

"Probably some Fang-banger" Sam answered as he was walking away again.

The morning after the three vampires came into the bar, their house was burned to the ground and four coffins with four sets of remains inside were found. People had assumed that it was the three vampires plus Bill, especially after he left with them.

Sookie left Hoyt and Rene with a smile on her face, and walked towards the kitchen, but shortly after she came wandering out to look at the girl who was handing out the plates. She had walked in on Jason's arm a few minutes ago, and now she was talking to Sookie. Carla moved closer so she could listen to their conversation.

"... You're Jason's sister, right? I've heard so much about you" The girl beamed, shaking Sookie's hand with a smile, even from where she stood about a meter away she could smell the V all over the girl, and Jason, it made Carla sick to the stomach.

"Who are you?" Arlene butted in, looking pissed off to begin with.

"My name's Amy, Amy Burley, I'm here with Jason... and you must be Arlene with that gorgeous red hair- it's so nice to meet you" Amy offered Arlene her hand, while Jason wrapped his arm around the woman's shoulders.

"How'd you know all the table numbers?" Arlene wondered aloud, looking slightly less annoyed now, she smiled a little.

"Well, I waited tables in college, so I just assumed clockwise, like table one, two, three, four, five" She pointed out what she meant before turning back to Arlene with a smile. "And I think the guys on table five like you because they left you a really nice tip" Amy explained as she handed a small wad of cash over to Arlene. Arlene turned around to Sam, who was behind the bar with Carla

"Sam, I think we might have found a replacement for Dawn" She grinned, walking off to tend to her tables.

"Looks like you have too" Sookie agreed, an air of bitterness in her voice towards Jason.

Jason planted a kiss on Amy's head, a large smile on his face. Carla was still torn about whether she should tell Sookie that her brother was a V addict, and of course that he now had a V partner.

Carla sighed and rubbed her fore head, no idea what to do.

* * *

**Sorry this one is a little shorter than previous chapters, next chapter will involve some more 'Caric' so i just wanted to get this little bit out of the way before i got to that part! Hope to see you back then! Thanks for reading!**

**-Shad out**


	10. Fangtasia

**Welcome back! This one is much longer than the previous, and has a double dose of Caric! Hope you enjoy it, and please share your thoughts!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter ten - Fangtasia

* * *

A couple of nights later, Carla decided to visit Bill and ask him a few questions about Eric.

She left Merlotte's early which Sam wasn't too pleased about but still allowed her too, as the bar was on one of its less busy nights.

She had rode in with Sookie to work so she didn't need her car, and it was already dark enough out to go for a run, arriving at Bills place in no time at all she took the porch steps in two strides and then transformed back, she was sweating a little even though it was a very cool night.

She raised her hand to tap on the front door. No answer.

She did it again, this time slightly louder.

Still no answer. She leaned on the door and put her ear against it to listen, and the door creaked open.

Carla shrugged and walked inside, closing the front door behind her. She saw that one of the lights on the second floor was on and also heard the faint music, she went to investigate.

When she got to the top of the stairs and rested her hand on the door knob, the door was closed but the light inside was on, she could see it peeking out from underneath the door.

She swung the door open without hesitation.

Her eyes widened at what was on the other side, she averted her gaze hastily.

"Well, well, well, look who's creeping around Bill's house at this hour" Eric's calm voice was passively mocking.

"It's not how you think it is" Carla assured him, wishing she could just turn and run.

"How is it then?" Eric cocked his head to the side.

"I need to speak to Bill, I knocked twice, no-one answered. The door was open, though, so I came in to wait for him. I saw the light, and came to investigate" Carla fixed her eyes on Eric's face, refusing to let her gaze wander, she convinced herself there was nothing interesting to see.

Eric was lying naked in the bath surrounded by lit candles and a set of speakers that was producing the music Carla had heard from downstairs. He was so tall his body barely fit in the tub, he had his legs sticking out the end and he was sat up straight. His long blonde hair was only slightly wet at the ends, and his eyes were closed, as if he was half asleep.

"So what are you doing here, are you and Bill an item? Damn- Sookie will be jealous" Carla teased, walking into the room and closed the door behind her, pulling herself up onto the old wooden cabinet that was used as the bathroom mirror, as there was one attached to it. She swung her legs.

Eric ignored her comment. "I also need to speak with Bill" Eric informed her.

"Oh? About what?" Carla asked.

"You first"

"I need to speak to him about you, actually"

"Well, how useful that I am here"

"Not really" Carla shrugged. "I'd rather just ask Bill- now tell me why you're here"

Eric leaned on the side of the bath with his arms, and placed his head on them, looking at Carla.

"I need to use Bill's human for something"

"I doubt she will want to be used by someone like you"

"Oh but she won't really have a choice"

"Why is that?"

"Because I am the sheriff of this area. Bill is under my command and I can request his assistance whenever I want, and since she is his human… I merely need to ask" Carla glared at Eric.

"If you are going to put Sookie in danger, then I am going to be there"

"There will not be any danger"

"Where vampires are concerned, there is always danger" Carla stated, with one eyebrow raised.

"Well then, why are you putting yourself in danger?"

"Because it's Sookie, she is special" Eric suddenly looked interested.

"Tell me, how is she special?"

"Well for a start she's not human, but you already know that, don't you?"

Eric nodded.

"I'm afraid I don't know much more, and even if I did, you would be the last person on earth I would go blabbing off at the mouth to about her"

Eric put on a fake frown, trying to look hurt. "Why not?"

"Because you have an unhealthy interest in her"

"Sounds like you're threatening me again, I don't like that much" he pulled his eyebrows together.

Carla shrugged. "Depends on how you look at it" She put on her dead eyes.

Without warning, Bill arrived in the bathroom, using his vamp speed. Carla had barely heard him come through the door.

Eric lent back in the bath.

"I texted you three times, why didn't you reply?" Eric asked Bill.

"I hate using the number keys to type…" Bill buried his hands in his pockets. "What are you doing here?" Bill questioned. Carla swung her legs back and forth.

"From my younger days... it's really quite beautiful if you know old Swedish" Eric answered, his eyes closed again, explaining the music as if he ignored Bill's question. "I have a favour to ask of you..."

"A favour or an order?" Bill asked, crossing his arms, he looked at Carla. She smiled at him.

Eric turned his head to the side to look at Bill, and opened his eyes.

"Depends on how you look at it" Eric glanced at Carla, and then back to Bill. "Honestly... did you think you could keep her to yourself?" Carla hated the way vampires talked, as if human being were things to be owned, like livestock or inanimate objects, she pretended to not let it affect her.

Bill looked worried and angry at the same time, not sure what to say.

"Very well, I will bring Sookie to Fangtasia tonight after she gets off work"

"We will be ready" Eric said.

"As will I" Carla added, pushing herself off the cabinet and walking around Bill and out of the house.

* * *

Carla got to Fangtasia before even Eric got back. She waited outside for Sookie and Bill to get there, which didn't take long, is it was already late into the night when Carla had gone to see Bill.

Bill pulled up in his car. Carla opened the front door to the club, thankfully, Eric had not noticed her outside. Either that or he didn't want to speak with her, which was a good thing.

Closing the door behind her, she walked over to the bar and took a seat.

Moments later Sookie came in and Bill directed her to a seat on a table just in front of the bar.

Longshadow, the bar tender, was behind the bar, fiddling with a lighter. Pam was leaning against the bar with her arms crossed, looking as bored as ever. Eric was no-where to be seen, probably waiting in his office. And Bill took his place leaning against the bar too, resting his hand on it.

Sookie turned around to look at Carla.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Making sure you don't get hurt" Carla informed her, leaning back against the bar and resting her elbows on it.

Eric came sauntering out of a door that was next to the end of the bar, he had his hand resting heavily on the shoulder of a short fat man with a bald patch in the middle of his head. Eric ordered him to sit opposite Sookie.

"Pam, Longshadow and I are partners in this club" Eric began without any formalities or greetings. He began pacing around the table where she was sat opposite the man. "And we recently discovered that sixty thousand dollars has gone missing from our books..." Eric stopped next to the man, and patted his shoulder intimidatingly. "And Bruce... is our accountant, perhaps you can start by listening to him?"

"He's not saying anything" Sookie spat back.

"Don't be coy... it's humbling enough to turn to a human for assistance... we know what you can do" Eric explained, looking uncomfortable.

"Well, I know what you can do too, why don't you just glamour him?" Sookie leaned back in her chair.

"Now don't you think we might have tried everything before summoning you" Eric looked down at Sookie sarcastically. Carla hopped down from her stool, standing a little closer, as a warning to Eric.

"...So it would be a great favour, to me, and to your… Mr Compton if you can help us..." Eric added, looking at Carla, she returned his gaze angrily.

"If I find out who did it, then what?" Sookie asked.

"We'll turn that person over to the police and let the authorities handle it from there" Longshadow cut in, putting his lighter down on the bar and placing both hands on it to lean.

Sookie chuckled. "Hundreds of years old and you're still a terrible liar, come on..." Longshadow picked up his lighter again, looking angry, and started playing with it again. "I'll make you a deal... if you promise to hand over the person who did this to the police- I'll agree to help you any time you want" Carla rolled her eyes, cursing Sookie in her head for making such a stupid decision. Eric glanced up at Carla with a triumphant grin, and Carla gritted her teeth behind her lips.

"Alright, why not?" Eric agreed.

Sookie leaned over and picked up the man's hand. All was silent while she listened in on him.

"Calm down… now, Bruce..." The man did just that. "Do you know who took their money?" Sookie asked, still holding onto the man's hand.

"No- no- no-! You gotta believe me!" Sookie shushed him.

"Do you know who did?" She continued her questioning.

"No" he simply stated.

"He's telling the truth" Sookie told Eric.

"You trust a skinny human to clear the fat one?" Longshadow growled, cutting in again. Eric ignored him.

"Bring the next one in" Eric told Pam, and she disappeared to get another one of their humans, taking Bruce with her.

Pam came back within a minute with a tall woman who was barely wearing any clothes, just a pair of denim shorts and a strapless bra.

"This is the last of our humans" She told Sookie, as the woman sat down.

"Ginger... this woman has some questions for you, now be a good girl and answer them will you" Eric told her, standing right behind her.

"Of course, master…" the woman replied. Pam snatched and stubbed out the woman's cigarette in an ash tray on the table. Sookie leaned forward to take the woman's hand, but she jerked backwards. "Don't you touch me" she warned Sookie, who rolled her eyes.

"Hold her still" Eric ordered Pam, who did so without question. Sookie took the woman's hand.

"Ginger, someone's been stealing money from the bar" Sookie began.

"Really... huh" Ginger replied, looking nervous.

"She didn't do it" Sookie explained, glancing up at Eric. "But she knows who did" Sookie looked back down at the woman.

"What-? Fuck you" Ginger shook her head.

"Who? Who's gonna kill you? Ginger honey what's his name? It's blank... like her memories been erased?"

"I don't know anything, I swear!" Ginger shouted, shaking her head.

"She's been glamoured" Pam surmised.

"It's a vampire!" Sookie added.

Ginger suddenly looked at Longshadow. He flew forward over the bar and grabbed Sookie by the throat, bending her back over a table and strangling her. He pulled her head to the side, about to bite her.

Carla pushed all of her energy into one fist, and slammed it into the vampire's chest, sending him flying across the bar and into a couple of tables. He quickly got up and slapped the back of his hand across Carla's face, closing the distance with his superior speed, sending her a few steps back and onto the ground.

Longshadow went back at Sookie, about to bite her. Carla pulled herself up ready to go for the vampire again, but he suddenly froze, screaming in agony. Bill had broken off one of the wooden handles on the beer taps and had impaled Longshadow with it, granting him the true death.

He disintegrated in front of Sookie, spraying her with blood and gunge.

Pam and Eric looked at each other, and then back to Bill.

Sookie was screaming, being completely covered in blood, she stopped to take a deep breath and calm down.

Then Ginger started screaming her high pitched, bloodcurdling scream, before throwing up.

Bill looked at Eric and Pam, and they stared back, regarding each other in silence for a moment.

"Humans..." Eric sighed, looked at Ginger, who started screaming again after she threw up. "Honestly Bill, I don't know what you see in them"

Bill looked at Sookie. Carla walked forward, grabbing Sookie's hand and making her stand up.

"Are you okay?" Carla asked. "Did you he bite you?" She moved Sookie's head from side to side so she could see her throat.

"No, he didn't… thanks to you- and Bill" Sookie was still a little wobbly on her feet.

"I need to get cleaned up" Sookie stated, looking down at herself. Carla nodded, and led her towards the bathrooms, holding her hand, and she was still shaky as well as sticky with vampire bits.

Carla sat and helped Sookie clean off her hair and face, though she was still mostly covered in vampire leftovers. From the bathrooms they could hear Ginger sobbing and screaming out in the bar, probably cleaning up the mess.

Carla left Sookie to clean the rest of the blood of her, and went to go and find Eric and Bill. She heard their voices down the corridor behind the bar, and followed them to a closed door where she listened to their conversation.

"I'll take the girl" Eric stated, as if working out the terms of an agreement.

"No" Bill bit back. "You can have anyone you want, why do you want her?" Bill added after a brief pause.

"Why do you want her?" Eric asked, sounding inquisitive. "You're not in love with her are you?"

"Sookie must be protected..." Bill answered.

"Now that sounds like an edict of some kind…- yet it couldn't be, because I'd know about that..." Eric answered quickly, sounding intense. "Admit it, you love her"

"If I hadn't done what I did- would you have let his disloyalty stand?" Bill retorted.

"Whatever I did to Longshadow- I would not have done in front of witnesses… especially not vampire witnesses, at that. You're really not smart Bill... not smart at all"

Carla felt the sudden pressure of a hand on her arm, and she was pulled at vamp speed into the office. Eric was sat in a tall, black leather chair, behind a desk. Bill sat across from him with a bottle of True blood in his hand, in a smaller chair.

"This one was listening at the door- I thought you'd better know" Pam explained, holding onto Carla's arm still.

"Thank you Pam" Eric nodded at her.

"Do you mind-" Carla snarled lightly as she yanked her arm out of the vampires hold. Pam put her hands on her hips and pouted at Carla.

"Pam, please go and find something clean for Miss Stackhouse to put on, she cannot go home in bloody clothes" Eric requested, glancing at Bill.

"Of course" Pam replied, before disappearing out of the door.

"What is it you want?" Eric addressed Carla, eyeing her up and down.

"Well, I'd like to know what the implications of tonight's little mishap are… is Bill going to meet the true death?" Carla perked a brow, putting her hands on her hips.

Bill stiffened, and Eric got up out of his seat to wander over to her.

"I doubt it, but we will need to visit the Magister… he will pass judgement, but we were just discussing the possible ways to avoid such an outcome"

Carla looked up at Eric. He was stood in front of her, looking down at her now.

"You will never have Sookie" she told him. He chuckled.

"Are you going to stop me?"

"If I have to" Carla's eyes narrowed, and Eric unsheathed his fangs. "Just fucking try it" Carla glared at Eric, who stared down at her with a smile on his face.

"If we are done- I'd like to take Sookie home?" Bill interrupted, breaking the silence

"Fine" Eric replied flippantly, going back to sit down at his desk. "I'll be in touch" He assured Bill.

* * *

"Are you in any trouble?" Sookie asked Bill as they got out of the car back at the house.

"Just a simple slap on the wrist, that's all" Bill lied. Carla didn't say anything.

"You sure? Because Pam made it sound like-"

"Pam was turned almost a hundred years ago and yet somehow still behaves as if every day were Halloween-" Bill gave Sookie his hand to help her up the porch steps. "She's all drama and theatrics" Bill finished, shrugging it off. "I assure you, everything's going to be fine" Bill opened the front door for Sookie, and they all filled into the house.

Bill closed the front door behind him.

Carla looked up and heard and odd whirring sound coming from above. With a certain amount of displeasure on her face, she glance to the light switch. Sookie was already reaching for it.

"I'm going to take a shower- it still feels like there's blood all over me" Sookie clicked the light switch, and light poured over the gory scene that had been left in Sookie's hallway. Her cat, Tina, had been decapitated and tied upside down to the ceiling fan, which was on, and flinging the cat's blood all over the walls of the hallway.

Sookie screamed, and Bill grabbed her, taking her out of the front door, and to his place. Carla reached up and turned the fan off, a tear making its way down her cheek.

She'd have to clean up.

* * *

Before Carla went to bed, she headed over to Bill to tell Sookie that she's cleaned the hallway and buried her cat. She had marked the grave with a small wooden cross that her gran used to wear, in the flower beds out the front of the house.

Sookie thanked her as she left. Carla decided to stay at Sookie's house and make sure that no-one could get back inside. She locked all the windows and doors, and ensured they were all secure.

What a night it had been.

* * *

The next day Carla came into work early, she didn't really want to be alone in the house considering the night's events. Plus she had got a text from Sookie to tell her that she was going straight into Merlotte's and not coming home, and that Carla needed to bring her uniform in from the house.

The day at Merlotte's went very slowly and boringly. Carla was waiting tables, as Tara was in, and having four waitresses made it less of a task to keep up with the amount of people in the bar.

About four hours after night fell, Bill came into the bar, along with Eric, Pam and another vampire that Carla didn't know. He looked quite distressed, and walked over to Sookie to tell her something, he then went out into the back, probably to find Sam, leaving Eric and Pam out front. The new vampire followed Bill.

Carla heard Bill tell Eric to try and behave himself, to which he replied.

"I always behave myself"

Carla walked out front.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She snarled, looking up at Eric.

"Business" He said, looking down at her in her uniform. "Quite the pair of legs you've got on you"

"Shut your face, and don't you dare start any trouble here-" Carla raised her hand and pointed at the vampire. "This is my ONLY warning"

Eric leaned forward and kissed the end of Carla's finger.

"Don't worry sweetie- I'll be a gentleman, for tonight" He grinned down at her.

Eric started handing out leaflets and advertisements for his bar, thankfully being respectful and friendly to the patrons of the bar.

Carla still stayed on high alert though, as she was afraid of what the vampire might do.

"Simply present this at the door and your first drink's on me" Eric explained, showing off the cards as Pam handed them out.

"Thursday's ladies night so bring a date… that's if you can get one" Pam said, and the rednecks chuckled.

"Not him" Eric pointed, turning around. Pam pulled the card out of the man's reach. "He doesn't get one"

"What gives brah?" the redneck asked.

Eric used his vamp speed to get right up in the man's face.

"What'd you do to your arm there... bro?" Eric narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Eric, sluta" (Eric, stop) Carla growled, standing up with her arms by her sides and her fists clenched.

Eric turned around and wandered over to the woman, putting his finger on her nose. "Mitt företag, hålla ut av det" (My business, keep out of it) Carla reached up and closed her hand around his finger, pushing it out of her face, this made Eric grin.

Carla noticed Bill come around the corner and into the front of the bar, walking towards Sookie.

"Dags för dig att gå" (Time for you to go) Carla ordered, her voice full of controlled anger.

"You have three minutes to talk to Sookie, we have a tribunal to get to" Eric told Bill.

Bill took Sookie's arm and pulled her outside into the parking lot. Pam and this new vampire followed them. As did Carla. Eric came out shortly after.

Carla stood a few feet away from the vampires but not too close to Sookie and Bill, so they could have some privacy to say goodbye.

The three vampires soon lined up out in the parking lot a few steps away from Bill and Sookie, waiting for them to finish their conversation.

"Paula, I wish to speak with you once I get back, come and visit Fangtasia in a couple of night's time"

"Well- unfortunately, Eric, there are no matters that I wish to discuss with you" Carla spat back, refusing to look at the vampire.

Eric used his vamp speed to be standing right next to Carla, his mouth next to her ear, in a matter of less than a second.

"Jag tror att det finns många saker vi måste diskutera, Carla, jag kommer att se dig snart" (I think there are many things we need to discuss, Carla, I will see you soon) Eric chuckled, and Carla could hear the smile on his lips.

Eric turned on his heel and yelled at Bill to come. Carla was completely stiff, she was right, she was in too deep.

"Bill! Now!" Eric ordered. Bill broke apart from Sookie and walked away with the other vampires. Carla walked over to Sookie and hugged her tight, tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.

They walked back inside the bar, Carla could have sworn that Sookie was talking to her, but she couldn't hear over the sound of her mind telling her to leave as soon as the sun rose.

* * *

Sookie came striding round the side of the bar, car keys in hand.

"Carla, can we go please, we're going to stay at Bill's- no-one will look for us there" Carla nodded, putting the last of the pitchers away and following Sookie out the back.

They both got in the car and drove to Bill's place. Apparently to Sookie, Bill had asked Sam to look after her, but since he was apparently 'busy' in his office with Tara, Sookie wanted to leave early.

* * *

Sookie arrived at Bill's and almost leapt out of the car at an amazing speed. Carla followed at a more relaxed pace.

Sookie was going to sleep in the master bedroom. Carla on the floor of the same room, in her cheetah form, though, so she didn't catch a cold from sleeping on the floor of the old draughty house.

Carla slept with one eye open that night, and a few minutes after they had settled, she heard the creaking of the wooden steps downstairs. Within a moment she was on her feet and at the door, Sookie was still asleep. Carla prowled out of the room to see a brown and white dog in the corridor, she barred her teeth at it.

It looked very familiar.

Suddenly Sookie walked out of the room, and into the corridor.

At the same moment the dog turned into Sam, completely naked, and flushed all over. Sookie gasped,

"Oh… my-!" She gasped, incredibly surprised.

* * *

The three of them went out onto the porch to talk. Sookie lent against the wooden rail and Carla crossed her legs in one of the chairs. Sam did the same next to her.

"A shape shifter?" Sookie confirmed, as if she had never heard of the term in her life.

"Most of us just refer to ourselves as shifters" Sam explained.

"Well, how many of you are there?"

"Thousands- tens of thousands- I don't know, we're not exactly widely known"

"Do you come from like a family of shifters or something?"

"It's hereditary, so yeah, but uhh… I was adopted, and the family that took me it, we never talked about it"

"Can you turn into anything? Like cats? Birds?"

"Yeah cats sure, I can do bird, but flying's hard"

"Ha, tell me about it" Carla chuckled, cutting in, she was staring off into space, tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair.

"And what exactly are you? Spill the fucking beans already" Carla decided there wasn't much point in lying anymore.

"I'm a druid" Carla stated, looking from Sam to Sookie. "I was taught from a very young age how to harness the power of, well nature, and control it. That can mean anything from controlling fire and water to turning into an animal, I was better at the animal side of things, so that was my specialty. It made me stronger than a normal human, but my animal forms are somewhat less inconspicuous than Sam's, because of the size and colour, I am easily seen"

"So you can turn into anything as well?" Sam inquired.

"It's slightly different to that" Carla said. "I can copy others for a short time just by touching, so when I touched Sookie, I had a small amount of telepathic power, when we tried to communicate both ways, I overpowered her, and she passed out. That's why she fell over that night in the bar. However, if I have the blood of something, the life force of an organism, I can become them, and use their abilities as my own. My forms originally come from simple animals, just more powerful as I've used them over the years. And on a full moon it's harder for me to control my abilities" Carla explained.

"That's like me, I can't control the shift on a full moon. But I need a live animal, as like a template, and imprint, if you'd like" Sam said.

"Can you turn into another person?" Sookie wondered, looking nervous.

"Humans are too complex, despite what you might see at the bar" Sam smiled.

"Can you do it any time then?"

"Yes, like Carla, I can do it anytime"

"So you two are like werewolves, with the whole full moon thing?" Sookie questioned.

"Hey, werewolves are dangerous, nasty creatures. DO NOT call me a werewolf!" Sam exclaimed.

"Werewolves exist too?" Sookie enquired, furrowing her brow.

Carla and Sam nodded at the same time.

"What else is there?" Sookie questioned, looking very daunted.

"More than you can ever imagine" Sam sighed, leaning back in his chair.

Sookie sighed and walked away, sitting on the porch steps.

"I'm going to get some rest, I need to talk to you in the morning" Carla said to Sam, who nodded, heading over to Sookie.

Carla went back into the house, telling Sookie good night before going back up to the bedroom to sleep.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, i hope you liked this one, and the fact it was a lot longer than the previous one! Please leave a review with your thoughts, i really like to hear what you people think! Thanks so much! See you in the next one i hope, thanks for spending your time reading my fanfic!**

**-Shad out**


	11. Murderer Revealed

**Welcome back! Thank you for coming back to read some more of my fanfic! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as i enjoy writing it for you! I hope you have a great day and you come back for more again!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter eleven - Murderer Revealed

* * *

The next morning, Sam was still in the lounge, waiting for Sookie to wake up.

"Morning" Carla said, walking around the corner fro the stairs into the entrance to the lounge, Sam was sitting on one of the couches.

"Morning" he returned, with a yawn.

"Listen, Sam, i might need a couple of nights off work, three at the most, i have business out of town with some folks, i'll be back as soon as i can" Sam pulled himself up off the couch, rubbing his head.

"Business with who exactly?" he asked.

"Some old friends, it won't take more than a couple of nights, then i'll be back, i promise"

"This wouldn't be anything to do with them vampires that came in after Bill last night, now would it?" Carla shook her head, as if to say no.

"Alright, well it's none of my business, just stay safe, okay?"

Carla nodded, "And you look after Sookie please" Sam nodded, giving her a smile.

* * *

After that, Carla went to the location of the vampire tribunal, which was just outside New Orleans, at a scrap yard, there, she waited for nightfall.

Once the moon came out, the place started to thrive with activity, the Magister, or judge of the vampire legal system along with a group of other vampires, or the jury entered the junk yard, getting ready for the nights events.

Carla walked out from her hiding place, to meet the vampires half way.

* * *

That night, the place was thriving with activity, there were a lot of vampires being prosecuted, so it took a long time for them to get to Bill's case.

When Bill stepped forward, with Eric and Pam behind him, Carla lept down from her perch, and walked slowly over to the group, tonight, she was in the form of a giant wolf, one of her least favorite shifts, but she knew that Eric didn't know she could change into multiple forms, and this form was slightly darker in color.

"This is an old friend of mine, she wishes to watch, and i have agreed, now onto the case" The Magister cleaned up quickly, not taking his eyes of Bill.

Carla sat back at the front of the truck which the Magister was sitting on his chair in, Eric was staring at her, but she paid no attention, and instead watched Bill, who was also looking at her.

"So tell me, Mr Compton, why is it that you decided to kill one of your own species?" The Magister look down on Bill, who finally looked away from Carla.

"Longshadow was choking the girl, and would have killed her" Bill replied.

"So you murdered a higher life form for the sake of your pet? I am assuming that is what you mean by her?" The Magister spoke down to Bill with authority laced into his voice. "You broke and ancient and fundamental law, you decreased our numbers at a critical time in our history... very bad, very very bad" The Magister scolded.

"Magister, Longshadow broke the law first, she was mine and he knew it, he would have killed her and fed from her" Bill argued.

"HELLO! HUMAN! IRRELEVANT! Happens every day!" The Magister shouted back at Bill.

"He was stealing from Eric!" Bill exclaimed.

"Sheriff?" The Magister raised his eyebrows.

"Yes Magister, it's true, Longshadow was a thief and a liar, he was hurting my business" Eric glanced away to the Magister to speak, but after he had finished, he replaced his fierce stare back onto Carla, who didn't even react.

"The business part... that is a serious offence..." The Magister fiddled with his cane.

"And it was the human who exposed Longshadow!" Bill added. "Would you tell him Eric!" Eric didn't look at Bill.

Eric stopped eyeing Carla to looked at the Magister, "the only reason the girl was there, was because i summoned her" He admitted.

"To protect your wealth!" Bill encouraged him.

"To protect my wealth, yes!" Carla could tell that Eric was becoming irritated, by the dangerous tone of his voice. "Magister, she is, valuable..."

"Humans exist to serve us that is their only value" The Magister informed Eric.

"There are those among us that... think differently" Bill informed him.

"Do you question my authority?!" The Magister growled at Bill. "I am the Magister, i was trained in the inquisition, and i am the adjudicator for every vampire territory in north america, as the humans say, the humans you love more than you own kind, BACK YOUR SHIT DOWN!" The Magister yelled, as a warning, he was infuriated.

Bill went to go on the offensive, taking a dangerous step forward, but before he could do anything stupid, Eric cut in.

"Bill!" He warned. Bill took a step back and calmed himself.

The Magister chuckled, "Well you haven't bored me, that works in your favor, and you seem to be obedient to your sheriff"

"For the most part" Bill turned to Eric, glaring at him for that statement. Eric turned around the faced the Magister.

"What is matters, yes he is" Eric agreed.

"The usual sentence is five years in a coffin chained with silver, during that time you body will waste to leather and sticks, and you'll probably go insane..." Bill's face was frightened, terrified even. "However, i'm feeling a bit, creative"

One of the vampires back a car up into the junk yard, and the boot was opened.

A redheaded girl was pulled out of the trunk and she ran around, sobbing her heart out, she feel over herself and then fell on the floor next to Bill.

Carla had to close her eyes, this would be hard to watch, but the exact conditions were that she did not get involved in the trial in any way, and she had to stick to them.

Pam and Eric moved forward, looking down at the girl, when Carla opened her eyes, she realized that Eric was looking at her again, and she watched the girl, trying to concentrate on remaining stoic.

"No" Bill told the Magister, the girl started to sob and pray on the ground, asking for mercy, "Put me in the coffin Magister, i will go willingly" Bill begged.

"Please, please sir, please help me, take me home and i won't tell no-one just please sir" the girl said, still on her knees on the ground.

"There's no help for you child" the Magister chuckled down at the redhead. Who lowered her face to the ground and started to sob uncontrollably.

When she looked back up, the Magister leaned forward to talk down at the girl, "Meet your maker" He said, using his cane to point at Bill.

"Please don't let them kill me, please i don't wanna die!" The redheaded girl crawled over to Bill and held the ends of his trouser legs, begging him.

"If you wanna torture someone, torture me!" Bill encouraged, trying to get out of turning the girl.

"Torture? I don't think so, i could show you torture... if you like" The Magister replied, regarding the girl, who laid down on the floor and played with her hair, muttering prayers to herself.

"No... no i was wrong to speak" Bill admitted, looking down at the ground.

"You can quit stalling! What you see in this cow, Mr Compton is simply a response to stimuli, humans are quite, primitive, incapable of feeling pain as we do, but, you know that"

One of the vampires stepped forward and grabbed the girl by the hair, pulling her over towards Bill.

"Proceed, and glamour is not allowed" The Magister informed Bill, who shouted back.

"She's just a girl!"

"Oh you are boring me, just shut up and do what you're told!" The Magister yelled.

Bill knelt down next to the girl and pulled her against him, holding her still, he drew his fangs. "Please forgive me..." He said, before plunging his fangs into the girl's neck, rupturing her jugular vein.

Carla turned away from the vampires, disappearing into the darkness, ready to follow Bill once he found a place to bury the new born.

* * *

The next night, Bill crawled out of the ground as soon as the moon peeked over the horizon, though it was still shadowed by the tall trees.

As soon as Carla saw him emerge, and shake the dirt of himself, she walked slowly out of the forest, still in the same form as the previous night, right over to him.

Bill didn't notice her until she was a few steps away, blinded by the fact he was listening to the earth, to make sure that he progeny was not stirring.

"Good evening, Bill" Carla said, revealing the fact she could communicate in her animal forms.

"Carla?"

"Yes, forgive me, but i needed Eric not to know that i was present for the trial"

Bill sat down on the stump of a tree that was close to his bed for the previous night, a four pack of true bloods just next to it.

"That's understandable" Bill replied, with a smile.

"I believe i have misjudged you, it would seem that you are not like any other vampire i have met before" Bill raised an eyebrow.

"How so?" He asked, curious.

"You feel, you have retained your humanity somewhat" Bill nodded. Carla sat back, changing back into her human form, she was still in her Merlotte's uniform, and she hadn't even realized.

"I'd just like to tell you, that i trust you, and i know now that you will protect Sookie, without being threatened by me, i am sorry that the start of out friendship was not the best" Bill nodded.

"As am i" He smiled slightly.

"I am sorry i could not get you a lighten sentence, unfortunately, the Magister is very brutal when it comes to murderers"

Bill glanced at the ground underneath him, and then up to look at Carla again.

"It's not a problem, i don't expect you to have any particular sway over vampire politics"

"Neither do i care very much, and i have no interest in Eric either, just a simple and calm life, something that i have never managed to find in my life" Carla answered, feeling numb.

"Then why are you staying with Sookie?" Bill asked. Carla shrugged.

"I don't even know myself, there's just something about her, i find myself unable to leave, like she is something that must be protected" Carla sighed.

Anyway, i better go, i am sure your progeny will be awakening soon, and i probably shouldn't be here when that happens" Carla stood up, about to leave. "I'll see you back in Bon Temps Bill, hopefully soon, until then, Good night and good luck" Carla turned away, shifted, and then ran back into the woods, towards home.

* * *

Carla arrived home just after Sam and Sookie, who had been out for the day, they greeted each other, Carla gave Sookie a hug, and the same with Sam.

"I'll be back to work tomorrow, sorry about missing a couple of days" Sam shook his head.

"It's fine Carla, honestly, i closed the bar for the day, so it's fine" Carla smiled at the man.

"Alright, i'm gonna go and get a shower and wash my work clothes, see you two in a couple minutes" Carla said, before heading upstairs.

Carla jumped in the shower and let the hot water hit her like a deluge, washing away the aching in her muscles.

After half an hour, Carla switched off the water and hoped out of the shower, wiping away the steam on the bathroom mirror, she saw the big black rings under her eyes. She needed to rest.

Carla headed across the landing to her room, drying herself off he pulled a nightie over her head, about ready to go to be.

Carla abruptly remembered that she needed to put her dirty work clothes in the washer, and headed downstairs.

When she got to the stop of the stairs, she heard yelling from the front room, Carla heard Bill's voice, and decided she would just leave the washing for tonight, she turned on her heel and went back to her room to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Sam took Sookie into work early so he could get the bar ready to open for lunch, so when Carla woke up, the house was empty.

She borrowed one of Sookie's spare sets of work clothes and drove in to work as well.

Upon arrival, Sam informed her that Sookie's brother had confessed to the murders of the women in Bon Temps, and that last night Amy was murdered.

Carla could barely believe what she was hearing, specially considering she was staying with the sister of the person who killed Sammy, that couldn't be right, it must be wrong, they must have made a mistake.

"That can't be right" Carla said, holding the back of her neck with her hand.

"It isn't right, yesterday me and Sookie did a little investigating, found out that there was a strangled woman found in another parish down the road, and she slept with vampires too, her brother went missing shortly after the murder" Sam explained, leaning on his desk, they were inside his office.

"Did they think he did it?" Carla asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"They don't know, he completely disappeared, but because the murder was exactly like what's been going on in Bon Temps, we had the sheriff there fax down a picture of the guy, i'm not sure if he's done it yet, but i am sure as hell it's not Jason" Sam answered.

Carla nodded, biting her bottom lip.

"Alright, you seen Sookie around?" Carla asked, wrapping her hand around the door knob, ready to leave.

"Yeah she's out front waiting tables, i told her to leave work for the day and stay in my office so i could keep an eye on her, but she refused, said she'd missed too much work lately"

Carla nodded.

"Alright, thanks Sam" Carla left and headed for the front.

As she turned the corner she saw Sookie standing in the middle of the floor, looking terrified and distracted, just staring into space.

Carla walked up to her and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of the view of the patrons.

"Sookie? Are you okay?" Carla asked, letting the woman's arm go.

"Y-y-yeah, i just don't think i should have come into work today, since my brothers in trouble an all" Carla titled her head to the side.

"What happened with Bill last night, did you two have a fight?"

"He hit Sam, came in and tore up my front room, wrecked the place, so i resended his invitation" Sookie said, crossing her arms in front of herself.

"Oh, Sookie" Carla rubbed her forehead, "you shouldn't have"

"Excuse me, i think i can decide what i do with my own life and the people who i see in my own time" Sookie said, giving Carla sas.

"Sookie, last night i followed Bill, i saw what he had to do at that vampire trial, if you knew anything about what he did for you-"

"Well this is strange, a few weeks ago you were telling me to stay safe as if he was some sort of wild animal, now you're off blowing his trumpets and playing his fan fare, what the fuck?"

"Sookie, don't you fucking start this with me, everyone is allowed to misjudge people, that's not a fucking crime"

"And you know what, maybe i misjudged you" Sookie spat, walking past the woman and bumping into her shoulder, heading for Sam's office.

"Sookie..." Carla sighed, bashing the side of her fist against the brick wall next to her, the stress of having vampires wanting her dead was definitely getting to her, she couldn't handle this sort of pressure, and yet neither could she leave.

"Fuck" she muttered.

Carla waited the last few tables before Merlotte's closed to get ready for dinner time.

Carla strode out the back to speak with Sam, and find Sookie.

Sam met her half way to his office.

"Hey, Carla, Sookie went out the back t drive around for a bit, she said she needed some air, wouldn't be anything to do with you now would it?" Sam crossed his arms over his chest, and they started wandering towards the front of the bar together to help clean up.

"Yeah... we had a fight, it was my fault, i took it too far and she stomped off before i could apologize" Carla said, Sam went to lean his back on the bar, and Carla stood in front off him.

"Well, such is Sookie, she gets a bee in her bonnet and it takes a while for her to calm down" Sam explained.

"Hey, Sam, Rene left his vest" Lafayette cut in.

"I'll put it in the lost and found" Sam told him, raising his hand so he could catch the jacket when Lafayette threw it to him.

Suddenly Sam stopped dead, he pulled the jacket closer to his face and sniffed it, taking a deep inhale.

Carla raised an eyebrow at him.

Immediately he threw down the jacket and ran out of the bar, Carla followed him, puzzled, something bust be wrong.

When Carla got out of the door, she saw Sam yelling at Terry, she only heard Terry's reply.

"She left with Rene about twenty- twenty-three minutes ago" Terry stuttered a little, and Sam sprinted past him.

Carla pulled off her apron and gave it to Terry, who looked very confused.

Sam sprinted round the back of the bar and hopped in his truck.

"Get in!" He yelled, starting the engine. Carla did as she was told.

"What the hell is wrong with you Sam?! Is something wrong?!" Carla asked, looking very confused.

"Yeah, there's something very wrong, the fact that Sookie is gonna get murdered or might even be dead right now"

"What do you mean?" Sam pulled out of the Merlotte's parking lot at an incredibly dangerous speed, and had his peddle to the metal.

"I mean that the fucking killer is Rene, and he's with Sookie!" Sam said, concentrating on the road, his hands were clutched around the steering wheel so tightly Carla could see his veins and muscles twitching on the surface of his skin.

Carla just hoped that they weren't too late.

* * *

Sam arrived at the house seconds later, and he didn't even put the handbrake on before he flew out of the car, yelling Sookie's name and rushing into the house, which had the door left wide open, Carla was a few steps behind him.

Sam stopped in the doorway, looking down at the belt that lay there discarded, next to a trail of blood spatters that led outside.

Sam stepped back out of the hose and took another deep in hale.

"Where are they Sam?!" Carla ordered, and he said nothing, he simply sprinted in the direction of the cemetery, stripping off his clothes, and transforming. Carla did the same, but she was slower than she would have been if she was fully rested, but she was still tired from spend the last two nights in her animal form.

She was going at about the same speed as Sam, and as they came closer to the cemetery, Carla notice the blood spatters on the dirt road, they were definitely going the right way, Carla just hoped that it wasn't Sookie's blood.

Soon enough Sam led Carla to where Rene was on top of Sookie, strangling her.

Sam got to him first, leaping on him and savaging his throat, biting down on him, Rene grabbed a stone ornament from one of the graves and hit Sam over the head with it, knocking the dog out.

Carla approached the man and jumped onto a headstone and then onto the man, pinning him to the ground with her giant claw paws.

She let out a low roar into the man face, and he shook like a leather beneath her.

"What the fuck?!" he yelled, trying to force Carla off him, but she didn't even move an inch.

Completely without warning a spade came down on the man's throat, separating his head from his body and killing him stone dead. The spade slowly slid down from it's upright position to horizontal, and rested on the ground.

Carla looked up and saw Sookie standing next to her, panting and looking beaten and bruised.

Sam then stood up, looking better than Sookie, but they both had blood coming from there heads, Sam on his forehead where Rene had hit him, and Sookie from the back where she had been thrown down against a grave stone.

Carla reverted back to her human form and stood up straight, looking over in the direction of a strange sizzling sound.

There was clouds of smoke coming off of a body that looked like a ashen corpse.

Carla ran over and picked the body up in her arms, and ran back over to the open grave that Sookie and were next too.

"Quickly, we need to bury him! Get him out of the sun!" Carla jumped down into the grave and placed Bill down as gently as she could and then climbed out, Sam started shoveling the dirt back in and Carla simply pushed one of the mounds of dirt that had originally been taken from the hole back over Bill, so he wasn't being hit by the sun's rays.

* * *

After taking Sam and Sookie to the hospital and delivering them home, Carla called Lafayette and Tara to come over and see them.

When night fell, which was when Arlene came to see Sookie, completely hysterical about Rene and the fact that he was a murderer. Carla checked her phone.

She found a text that made her heard skip a beat.

_Come to Fangtasia,_

_it's time for our talk._

_-EN_

Carla knew well that after the day she had had, she should be resting, but unfortunately, it was a very bad idea to keep Eric waiting.

Carla went upstairs to get changed out of her bloody work clothes and put them in the wash, she changed into a pair of half length jeans with a white button up shirt with short sleeves.

She came downstairs and told Sam she had business to attend too, and he was curious but thankfully didn't ask her any questions.

Carla headed out into the car with her bag and started up the engine.

Somehow she knew she would regret going.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the season one finale! Next chapter will feature some more Caric! Wahoo! I hope you like them together because i love writing about them together! Please leave me a review and tell me what you thought about the chapter, please share your thoughts and opinions, because i love to read them, bad or good! **

**Thanks for all the support, and i hope to see you in the next chapter!  
Until next time,  
-Shad out.**


	12. Meeting

**Welcome back to my fanfic, i hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for coming back to read it! Thank you so much for all of your support and reviews and please feel free to leave more, they are always appreciated! **

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twelve - Meeting

* * *

When Carla arrived at Fangtasia, it was thriving with noise and excitement, the bar was packed and Carla had to push her way through the back between sweaty body's and ice cold ones, being so close to vampires made her nervous.

She opened the door next to the bar, heading into Eric's office, the door was shut, so she knocked politely.

Only after she knocked did she notice the gasp and moaning sounds coming from the other side of the door, Carla sighed, but refused to wait for Eric to finish his sexual business before seeing her, specially as he had summoned her.

She knocked again, this time louder than before, but the noises continued.

Carla decided to give him one more chance to pack it in, before she tried a different course of action, she slammed her fist against the door three times, causing it to shake on it's hinges.

The noises still did not cease. Carla's final straw left the building.

She turned the door knob and walked straight into the room, Eric had a quite short, black haired woman laid over his desk, he was feeding on her, from the artery on the inside of the woman's leg, and she was squirming with delight.

When Carla walked in, the woman sat up straight and pulled away from Eric, she wasn't sure what to do.

"Get out" Carla growled at the woman, who started to walk to the door.

Eric used his vamp speed to close the distance between him and Carla, he looked down at her, blood on his lips and on his teeth, his fangs extended and threatening.

"Since you entered so rudely, why don't you get out?" Eric growled back.

The woman paused before she came to the door, looking back at the two, not sure whether to leave or stay.

"You summoned me here, i am not going to wait while you have a meal, i have other things to do with my life than wait for you" Eric looked very displeased to say the least, his muscles were rigid and he looked like he might attack Carla.

But Carla remained straight faced and didn't react to his demeanor.

Carla turned to the woman and snatched her by the hair, she threw her out into the corridor and slammed the door behind her, while the woman screamed profanities at her.

"Now, what the fuck do you want Eric?"

Eric sighed, and licked the blood from his fangs and his lips, taking his time to make her wait for him, which made her even more agitated, she didn't know why seeming him feeding from a woman had made her so angry, it was completely illogical.

Once Eric had finished swallowing every last drop, he crossed his arms over his chest, and took on his usual bored pose, leaning against the side of his desk.

"Why were you at the tribunal? I told you to stay away" He questioned, in a terribly sour mood.

"Tribunal? What tribunal?" Carla asked, sitting down on the chair in front of his desk, putting her legs up on the desk and resting them there.

"I do not like it when people lie to me, that is one thing you should know about me" Eric snarled, looking down at her.

"But i'm not lying, i do not know what you are talking about" Carla told him, remaining emotionless.

Eric used his vamp speed to move her feet off the table and then stand in front of her, his hands clutching the arm rests of the chair, he leaned down over her.

"This will be your very final warning, if you do not tell me the truth, i will fucking drain you, tear you to pieces and spread you out over Sookie's front lawn!" Eric yelled in her face, trying to seem threatening, which he succeeded in, despite the fact that Carla simply let her neutral face turn into a small smile and then she laughed at him.

Eric growled, standing up straight and shoving Carla's seat back as he did it, so she slid a few centimeters backwards. She looked up at Eric, who had his arms crossed again and his fangs now retracted.

She wiped away a tear of happiness from her eye, smiling up at Eric. She stood up straight in front of him.

"I must admit, you're quite the hard worker" Carla said, walking away towards the door. "Is that all you wish to talk about? Because otherwise i will be going"

"I don't think you're going anywhere, Carla" Eric said, and Carla froze. How could she forget about that? Carla turned on her heel, crossing her own arms now.

"So tell me, how do you know about that?" Carla asked, keeping the smile on her face.

Eric shrugged, standing up and strolling over to her, to look directly down at her.

"I know an awful lot of things" He admitted.

Carla raised an eyebrow.

"Paula Bambridge didn't exist as a person until a few months ago, i was doing some digging and she has no records in any hospitals, schools, bills, nothing" Eric wandered back over to his desk, and looked down at a file that was right in front of his chair.

"Then i looked through some police records from the far west, Washington to be exact, i found this" Eric continued as he pushed the papers over to Carla. Carla glanced at the papers, and then at the picture in the top left hand corner, it was a picture of her, listed as Carla Jones for a robbery, one which she had committed because she was starving, this was in her much younger days, and was done as a last resort.

"Shocking resemblance" Carla said, putting down the papers. "But it still doesn't prove it's me"

"On the contrary, i don't think I need anymore proof" Eric said, leaning forward onto his desk, placing his hands on it.

"What exactly do you think you can do with this proof?" Carla said, playing along.

"Well for a start i can go to the police and tell them that a wanted criminal is living in a small town in Louisiana" Eric warned, standing up straight again, a huge arrogant grin on his face, Carla wished she could just slap it right off.

"Or?" Carla asked, crossing her arms.

"You will have to do a few things for me" Eric replied, his grin growing larger.

"Like what things?"

"First of all, you need to find a way to get Sookie to help me, i need her expertise for a certain, job, and i need to as soon as i can possibly get it" Carla shrugged.

"Why can't you just ask Bill for Sookie's help?"

"Because Bill is irrationally attached to the girl, what i am asking for is dangerous, and he will say no, i am sure that Bill is madly in love with her"

"Right, so what makes you think that me asking Sookie to put herself in danger and you asking her is any different?"

"Because you have protected her, she trusts you, and she will feel inclined to repay you for your help"

"I doubt she will much want to help you whether it is for me or not, Sookie no short of hates your dead guts, and i am not surprised"

Eric chuckled, sitting down in his chair.

"She doesn't have to like me, she just has to help me"

Carla rolled her eyes.

"Additionally, you owe me some favors"

Carla nodded, "Of course"

"I will also check up on you weekly" Carla sighed. "Just a phone call, i wouldn't want to impede on your exciting life"

Carla rolled her eyes at him again.

"Are we done?"

Eric shrugged.

"I suppose, unless there is something else you'd like to stay for, maybe you can be as helpful as that woman you chucked out, i am still very thirsty" Eric grinned mischievously.

"Fan ta dig död fitta" (Profanities) Carla spat as she walked to the door, grabbing the knob ready to leave.

Eric used his unatural speed to appear leaning onthe door so Carla could not open it.

He reached down for the knob, and Carla moved her hand so they did not touch, and he opened the door for her.

"God natt, lilla kattunge" (Good night, little kitten) Eric replied with a joking smile.

Carla simply left.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, sorry this chapter is very short but i will probably release it with the next one as well, so it won't be such a small update, i just wanted this part and the next part to be seperate. Thanks so much for reading, i'll see you next time!**

**Plus, quick message to 'Guest' and VampireElf14, thank you so much for your reviews, it's good to hear that you are enjoying my fanfic, and i will continue to write more for you and all those that enjoy it! Thanks for the support!**

**Also, it's good to hear you've gotten an account, looking forward to seeing some of your work soon maybe? ;)**

**-Shad out**


	13. Dallas

**Welcome back, and thanks for coming back, i hope you enjoy this chapter, because i loved writing it! **

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirteen - Dallas

* * *

**Two and a half weeks later**

* * *

Carla woke to the sound of the television on downstairs, it was very early, and Sookie must have already been up and about.

Carla pulled on her dressing gown and made her way downstairs, upon arriving in the kitchen she saw Sookie watching the television.

A couple were depicted above the head line of 'Mr and Mrs Jordan Hamby, Parents of missing teenage girl' the woman, Mrs Hamby was explaining how her daughter was a brave and smart girl and pleading that the person who took her would bring her home to them.

Once the woman stopped speaking and a picture appeared, it was a picture of the girl that Carla had seen Bill turn. Sookie gasped.

"What's wrong?" Carla asked, not knowing if Sookie knew yet.

Sookie jumped, she obviously didn't know that Carla was standing there.

"Goodness Carla, don't sneak up on me like that" She said.

"Sorry Sookie"

"That girl looked just like Bill's new progeny, that he waited until last night to actually tell me about"

Carla sighed, and massaged her temples. Carla went to pour herself a coffee.

"That's because it is her" Carla said, sitting down in the chair opposite Sookie.

"How do you know?"

"Because that's what happens when vampires are made, they cannot go back to their family's" Carla explained, Sookied looked confused.

"Why not?"

"Maybe you should ask Bill, he'll know better than me"

"I suppose"

"Hey, are you going to see Bill tonight?" Carla asked.

"No, not Bill, I had a night with Bill last night, tonight i'm going to see Jessica, i might as well get to know her, specially when she's like Bill's daughter and all"

"You think i could come? I got nothing to do tonight and i'm sick of being alone here"

Sookie smiled, "Yes sure, that's fine, i doubt Bill's going to be there"

Carla smiled back at her. "Thanks Sookie"

"What are you doing today" Sookie asked Carla.

"Well i thought i'd just clean the house up a bit, and don't worry, i won't go near your grans room, that's for you to sort out" Carla winked and Sookie nodded.

"Thanks" She said.

"What're you doing then Sookie?" Carla asked, draining half of her coffee.

"I need to speak to Tara, so i'm gonna head in to Merlotte's, then i need to go to the store and get some groceries, then i'm heading over to Bill's"

"Well, just give me an hours notice about when you'll be going over there and i'll get ready" Sookie nodded and grabbed her bag.

"See you later Carla" She said as she walked towards the front door.

"Bye, have fun!" Carla said, finishing her coffee.

* * *

Sookie got home late from the store saying she had had a long conversation with Tara and the woman she was staying with, called Maryann, apparently Sookie had a strange feeling that this woman wasn't quite normal.

"When i tried to listen in on her, it just sounded like chanting voices in her head, i don't know what it was, but it was really damn weird" Sookie explained as they walked across the cemetery.

"Well, what did she look like?" Carla asked.

"Kinda tall, brown hair, pale, she looked a bit old, like late thirties maybe"

"Weird? she sounds pretty normal to me, apart from the pale part, of course" Sookie laughed.

Sookie let herself in through the front door when they arrived at Bill's, she had a key for the house now, so she locked the door behind her.

"Hello?" Sookie called. Jessica came round the corner and strode up to Sookie, but she stopped when she noticed Carla.

"Who's this?"

"Oh, hi, i'm Carla" Carla held out her hand, and Jessica hesitantly came forward and shook it. "I live with Sookie, i'm a friend of Bill's too" Jessica smiled at her, but the smile faded quickly, as if she had just remembered something terrible.

"Sookie, i just saw my parents on the TV"

"Oh, i'm sorry" Sookie said, frowning.

"No, i finally get why they didn't want me to watch it in the first place, it's horrible"

Carla chuckled, and Sookie glared at her.

"Um... Where's Bill?"

"I don't know, all he told me was Jessica, i have errands to run, errands that do not require your presence, so you will remain here and do you best to stay out of trouble while i'm gone... I hate it here! I hate it so much!"

"Typical Bill" Carla said, rolling her eyes.

Jessica stormed off into the lounge and slouched on the sofa, Sookie and Carla followed her, Sookie sat next to her and Carla opposite. Jessica started sobbing into one of the cushions.

"I kinda miss them" Jessica said, while sniffling.

"Your parents?" Sookie asked.

Jessica nodded, "And my little sister, and i was totally horrible to her" Jessica said, starting to cry blood.

"I was just such a brat" Jessica said, blood trailing down her face from her eyes, as tears, Jessica wiped her face and noticed it was blood.

"What's wrong with me?" she said.

"Sweetie vampires don't cry regular tears, so when you cry you're going to cry blood from now on" Sookie told her.

Carla got up and handed Jessica a tissue from her pocket, she wiped away the tears with it.

"Why do you know that and i don't? Don't you think i should know this?" Jessica asked Sookie.

"Bill should probably have told you" Sookie anwered.

"Listen, Bill's very new to this, you're his first, and he wasn't exactly ready to bring you up, you gotta understand that this is hard on him too"

Jessica nodded.

"I think i know how you feel, at least just a little bit" Sookie said to Jessica.

"No you don't" She answered. Carla sat down on the coffee table still opposite Jessica.

"I know it's not the same, but i lost my gran a few weeks ago, and she was everything to me and now she's gone"

"But grandparents are supposed to die while you alive, and with me i'm the one that's dead" Jessica explained.

"I doesn't matter who's dead, when people love each other, and one of them's missing, it's the distance that hurts"

"What do you do when it's so bad you can;t stand it?"

"I just go into her room for a spell and sit there"

"And that helps?"

"I don't know why, but just being somewhere, where she's been, makes me feel better"

"Do you think that you could drive me to my parents so that-"

"Alright i did not mean to, you know i can't do that"

"Oh please, i would just sit in the car, i swear, all i'm asking is to sit across the street and catch a glimpse of them in the window... just so i can say good bye"

"I'm sorry, it's just not my place" Carla stayed out of the conversation, she was unsure of what to say, but she thought the idea was definitely a bad one. "But maybe if you explain it to Bill-"

"Are you really sure about that?" Jessica interupted her, "Because i'm not so sure he would"

"Okay" Sookie gave in after a short moment.

"Really?" Jessica asked.

"No, Sookie, this is a very stupid idea" Carla told her.

"We're just driving by, and that's it, you need a change of clothes, because you can't go out in that" Sookie told Jessica.

"Sookie, listen to me, this is not your place and you know how Bill will react to this" Carla complained.

"Carla, you can either come or stay here, but either way, i am going"

"Sookie..."

* * *

Next thing Carla knew she was sat in a car across from Jessica's house.

"My mamma and sister should be home, but my Daddy's still at work" she explained.

"Jessica?"

"Yeah Sookie?"

"I'm sorry"

"Why are you crying?" Jessica asked, looking back at Sookie.

"Because i did this too you, if Bill hadn't-"

"No Sookie, this is my fault" Carla butted in. "If i had been strong enough to kill Longshadow myself, i would have had to deal with the consequences, not you"

"I don't blame anyone" Jessica said, glancing at the two of them. "How is that even possible?"

Jessica suddenly saw someone at the window of the house. "That's my sister!" Jessica ran from the car, and knocked at the door.

"Shit!" Carla and Sookie got out of the car as fast as possible, rushing after her.

Carla grabbed Jessica by the arm and pulled her away from the door, be i swung open before they could get far enough away.

"Jessica?!" Jessica's mother ran out, and hugged her daughter tight, her sister came to the door, and did the same.

"Eden, call Daddy, tell him that Jessica's come home" The little girl ran away into the house.

"Are you gonna invite us in?" Jessica asked, smiling.

"No, no, we cannot stay here, we need to go" Carla said, trying to get Jessica away.

"Ridiculous! Come on in and i'll make you a tea!" Jessica's mum said, pulling them inside.

Jessica's mother sat the three of them down and went to make tea and sandwiches, and shortly after Jessica's father came home.

"Jessica?! Jessica?!" He came storming into the house, and shouting down at Jessica. "How could you do that Jessica?! To your mother! We were all so worried about you! WHY JESSICA? WHY? TELL ME OR I WILL MAKE YOU TELL ME!" Jessica pushed the back back against the wall with ease, and he looked surprised.

"Or what Daddy? You gonna get your belt out? Give me a good beating?" Jessica unsheathed her fangs.

"How could you let some dead man bite you like that?!"

"I didn't let anyone do anything to me!"

"Jessica, don't do anything you will regret..." Carla warned.

"Do what? Kill Daddy, he beat me and my little sister, and Mamma never did nothing about it,because she's too damn dumb to know anything, he deserved to die, and i'm gonna end it. And i'm doing it with your belt Daddy" Jessica grabbed the man's belt and pinned him against the wall.

Carla couldn't stand back and watch any longer. She grabbed the belt from Jessica's hands and pinned her against the wall, stopping her from moving.

"That is far enough!" Jessica hissed, but she couldn't move.

Not a second later the front door of the house crashed down, Bill must have sensed Sookie's fear.

"Jessica, as your maker i command you to not touch anyone in the room!" Bill screamed, and Jessica stopped struggling, so Carla let her go.

"Thank god you're here!" Sookie said to Bill.

"Shut up!" Bill yelled back, and Sookie closed her mouth, "Someone who lives here must invite me in! You! Little girl! Come over here" Bill glamoured the little girl.

"It's okay little girl, i am here to help, everything will be okay now, i promise, now please invite me in"

"Oh won't you come in sir" The little girl asked Bill, who ran inside.

"Carla! Take Sookie, get outside and wait in the car" Carla did so without saying anything, Sookie complained, but Carla dragged her outside into the car, Carla was in the front passenger seat and Sookie was in the back, no-one spoke.

* * *

Bill was driving down the road at a dangerously high speed, specially in Sookie's old car, which Carla half expected to fall apart at any second.

"Stop the car Bill, you're scaring me going this fast!" Sookie shouted over the sound of the engine spluttering.

Bill pulled over into the lay by and stopped the car, Jessica was sobbing in the back.

"I'm sorry, she promised she was just going to look in the window, i know i made a mistake"

"She is a vampire, she has no family anymore, you undermined my authority going to take her to see them!"

"I'm going to be alone forever because of you!" Jessica cried.

"Shut up Jessica!" Bill told her.

"You risked those people's saftey and your own, if i have not glamoured them all within a inch of their sanity, everything would have come crashing down around us!"

"I know! I'm sorry!" Sookie shouted back at him.

"You keep saying that, and i am expected to what? Forget it ever happened?"

"You know what, i am going to walk back to Bon Temps, because quite frankly, i cannot stand another second of your fighting!" Carla climbed out of the car and started walking down the road. Sookie climbed out too.

"I'm coming with you, i can't stand another second either" She told Carla, and they both started walking down the road.

"Both of you stop being ridiculous! Bon Temps is 20 miles away!" Bill shouted after them, but they didn't stop walking. Bill got back in the car and shut the door.

Sookie turned the corner down the road that lead to Bon Temps, and they heard a strange rustling around them.

"Hello?" Sookie said, worried that there was something in the trees around them.

"Nice work Bill, but it ain't working, we are not getting back in that car with you" Carla said, continuing to walk.

The rustling got louder and then it become footsteps behind them, they both stopped waling and turned around, seeing the road was occupied with the form of a half human, half bull like form, with huge horns and long sharp claws at the end of it's fingers.

It began running after the two, and they ran too, away from it.

As it caught up, Carla looked over her shoulder and saw that it was running for Sookie, and it was going to get to her in moments.

Carla jumped onto Sookie to protect her from the thing, prevent it from hitting her, she felt the claws drag down her back, she screamed at the intense pain.

The beast ran off into the trees, and away from the road, Sookie moved underneath her, but Carla found that she was completely unable to move.

Sookie pushed Carla off of her, and she screamed in pain.

"Carla? What's wrong? What happened?" Then Sookie noticed the scratches, and the amount of blood on the woman's back.

Bill arrived in seconds, and pulled Carla up onto his lap.

"What did this to her?" He asked Sookie.

"Some sort of Bull human thing, it was huge, it ran after us and it was coming for me, she saved me, please Bill, give her your blood, before she bleeds out!" Bill did just that, biting into his own arm, and Carla had no choice but to take the blood.

But as soon as the blood touched her lips, her body started to convulse and she started throwing up.

Bill yelled for Jessica to get the car, as Carla drifted in and out of consciousness.

* * *

Carla opened her eyes and saw Eric standing behind a short lady who was pulling gloves on, Carla felt barely alive, everything below her back was numb, and her arms refused to move.

Carla's eyes fixed on Eric, she might have been mistaken, but for a few seconds, she though she saw the slightest amount of worry in the mans eyes.

"What's happening?" Carla managed, feeling dizzy.

"You've been hurt, you were attack by something, and it cut you up real bad, this lady is gonna try and help you" Sookie explained, and Carla noticed her at the end of the couch she was sitting on.

"It's almost like she's been bitten by a kamodo dragon, they bite their prey and the poison on their teeth slowly eats away at your nervous systems so you can barely move, and then they track you and eat you alive, i'm afraid we have few options" the little woman explained.

"I need you two to give us some privacy, i need to take off her clothes" she added. Bill and Eric left the room, Sookie stayed, to help hold Carla down.

The woman cut off Carla's shirt and opened a bottle of liquid, and began pouring it on her back.

The pain was worse than bamboo being force underneath your finger nails, worse than pressing a hot iron on the sole of your foot, worse than anything Carla had ever felt in her life, and that was saying something.

Carla screamed her lungs out, and she tried to get up, convulsing in pain.

Suddenly she felt the heavy hands of someone who wasn't Sookie, whoever it was, held her down with such a great force that she couldn't move.

The woman put her hands into the wounds, cleaning out the infection, Carla guessed, that was even worse than the disinfectant.

Once the doctor was finished, she started packing away her things.

"You can give her blood now, her body should accept it" She told them, walking out of the club with her things.

Sookie looked at Bill, who went to bit his wrist, but Eric clutched it.

"My blood is much stronger, allow me" He said, releasing the man's wrist.

"No way Eric, let Bill do it" Sookie complained, but Carla pulled herself up shakily from the sofa, steadying herself on one of the bar's chairs.

"No" Carla said, looking at the three of them, her back still painful and bleeding slightly. "No blood, i can wait for the morning" Carla said, barely able to take the pain of just standing.

"Don't be stupid, Carla, we both know that you're in too much pain to last that long" Eric said and Carla tumbled backwards, her legs giving way. Eric used his vampire speed to catch her in mid air, his arm around her tummy, he sat down with her in his lap.

Carla barely had the strength to move now. "No blood" She begged, looking up at Eric, who had a giant grin on his face.

Eric bit down on his wrist and put in at Carla's lips, she didn't have the energy to push him away, so she drank from him.

Eric's blood was like the sweetest, most beautiful serene taste Carla had ever had on her tongue, in caressed her senses and put her in a state of bliss, Carla shuffled back into Eric's lap, cuddling into his shoulder and falling into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Carla woke up first, she sat up on the sofa and stretched out her muscles, she felt, different, stronger than before, more powerful, she looked down at her hands and realized that something was very wrong.

Those were not her hands.

She shot up straight and looked down at her body, that wasn't hers either.

She spotted a mirror on the bar and ran for it, when she saw her reflection, she took a double take.

Carla wasn't staring back at her.

Eric was staring back at her.

She was wearing the same shorts for last night, but her shirt was one that read 'Fangtasia' on the front, in an XXL size, it swamped even Eric's body.

Carla didn't know this is what happened when she drank vampire blood, after all, she had never drunk any vampire blood, now she looked like Eric.

"Shit" she said, then she gasped, she even sounded like Eric.

Sookie came walking in from the back, and screamed at Carla.

"Eric?! What the are you doing up, and in Carla's clothes? What the hell did you do to Carla?"

"Sookie, no, it's not Eric, i'm Carla! I swear!"

"Bull crap!" She shouted at Carla.

"No really!" Carla spotted a set of keys on the counter, they must have been for the front door. Carla grabbed them and unlocked the door, stepping outside into the sunlight.

"See! It's me, Carla!" Sookie looked so surprised she might faint.

Carla came back inside the bar and locked the door behind her.

"How did this happen, Carla?" Sookie questioned.

"I don't know Sookie! It must have been the blood that Eric gave me! Hell, i don't even know if i am stuck like this!" Carla sat down on the sofa.

"Oh you're awake!" Ginger suddenly screamed. "Eric?! What are you doing awake?! I saw you go to bed last night!" Ginger screamed again.

"Ginger, this isn't Eric, this is Carla" Sookie tried to explain, but suddenly Sookie tilted her head to the side, she mist have heard something from the woman.

"Lafayette? You have Lafayette in the basement!" Sookie suddenly ran behind the bar and grabbed a gun from under the cash register, aiming it at Ginger.

"Take me to Lafayette!" She ordered the woman.

Ginger took them down into the basement, where they saw Lafayette chained to a metal bar contraption. Sookie ran to him.

"Lafayette? Lafayette? Are you okay?" She asked him.

"Do i look like a vampire?" He asked.

"You look half dead" Carla said, completely forgetting that she looked like Eric, Lafayette gasped and recoiled. Carla stepped back.

"Hey, Lafayette, it's me, Carla, i'll explain later, but i am not Eric, and i am certainly not here to hurt you" Lafayette looked unsure of whether to trust her.

"It's true Lafayette, its the day, so Eric's asleep, there's just been a little problem and Carla's looking like Eric for a little while"

"I don't believe this shit man" Lafayette said, so Carla leaned down a broke the chain that was keeping him tied to the metal. Carla then picked up Lafayette in her arms and carried him up to the sofa she had laid on, setting him down so Sookie could clean and redress his wounds with the materials they had to do so, alcohol and dish cloths.

When Bill rose from his sleep, he came and give Sookie a hug, asking her if she was still angry with her about the previous night.

"No, Bill, that doesn't matter, i mean i'm safe and in one piece, which is more than what i can say for my friend Lafayette, who Eric has been keeping in his basement for the last three weeks! I swear Bill Compton to better not know anything about this or i might just never be able to forgive you"

"I have no idea what you are talking about" Bill said, looking confused.

When Eric woke, Carla could see through his eyes at the back of her head, she knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling, what he was doing, and where he was, it was like having another person in the same brain space, it was highly distracting and uncomfortable.

Eric then appeared from one of the doors, shutting it behind him with a slam. Carla ran towards him, which felt faster than she thought it would.

"I said no fucking blood, and what do you do? Give me your blood! You fucking idiot!" Carla screamed in his face, pinning him against the wall, Carla was still stuck looking like Eric, but her eyes had began to fade, they were now their usual color. "I am so fucking angry at you i could kill you!" Carla growled, but let him go, stepping away from him.

"Well it's good to see you are back to normal, and i must say, it's like looking into a mirror" Eric said, jokingly.

"This is not the time to joke Eric" Carla warned, rubbing her temples.

"I imagine that Miss Stackhouse is referring to the human in my basement who traded sexual favors with a vampire in exchange for selling his blood, which you know, is a grave offense" Eric turned to Sookie.

"His name, is Lafayette, and you should be ashamed for what you did to him" Sookie slapped he vampire clean across the face. "Go to hell!" Sookie added.

"Sookie, that's enough!" Bill said, trying to stop Sookie from getting in trouble.

"No Bill, it's not nearly enough!" She told Bill. "They've tortured him and bitten him and shot him and kept him down there in his own filth for weeks!" Sookie shouted in Eric's face.

"Is this true?" Bill asked Eric.

"There are those that would have done much worse and you know" Eric said, brushing it off.

"You're gonna let him go, right now, or i am going to the police!" Sookie threatened.

Eric loomed over Sookie, his fangs exposed. "I do not respond well to threats!" He shouted at her. Carla stepped between the two, glaring at Eric.

"But we can work out a deal, please, step into my office" Eric said, glancing at Carla, who followed behind him.

* * *

Eric took a few hours to explain that a vampire sheriff in the Dallas area had gone missing, and that he wanted to take Sookie and use her abilities to find the vampire. And it would be payment for his helping Carla last night. He claimed he would pay all of the expenses and let Lafayette go. This is what Eric had wanted Carla to ask Sookie about two weeks back, but Sookie had refused to come, and now he was asking her again.

"And i want fie thousand dollars" Sookie said, explaining that she had missed a lot of work.

"Your human's getting cocky Bill" Eric said, standing behind his desk, Carla was on the other side of the desk, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

"She will take ten thousand, and i will escort her" Bill added to Sookie's demand.

"I don't think so, no" Eric grumbled.

"Yes, ten thousand and Bill comes with me or it's a deal breaker" Sookie laid out the land for Eric, who cocked his head to the side, thinking about it.

"Fine" Eric agreed, and spoke into the machine on his desk.

"You surprise me, that is a rare quality in a breather" Eric told Sookie.

"You disgust me"

"Maybe it'll grow on you"

"I'd prefer cancer"

Bill blinked quickly, as if holding back laughter.

"You need to leave immediately, i will make the travel arrangements, i just need your credit card number" Bill said, as the door was opened and Lafayette was thrown on the floor. Sookie helped him up.

"Such a shame, i was hoping i could convince Eric to let me keep you" Pam said, who had thrown Lafayette through the door.

"Hate to tell you but you ain't exactly my type, bitch" Lafayette said to Pam.

"Can i kick him?" Pam asked.

"You can try" Bill threatened.

"Enough, have Chow get their car" Pam turned and left the office.

Eric crouched down next to Lafayette, "I'll see you around i'm sure"

"Oh don't bet on it baby, i'm retiring, i'm done with you dead folk"

Eric winked at him and stood up straight, Bill picked Lafayette up.

"Book for the three of you, i will deal with the hotel" Eric said, before Bill left carrying Lafayette, and Sookie followed.

Carla felt a wave of tingling come over her and she looked down at herself, her hands were now hers again.

"Oh what a shame, i was getting used to admiring myself without looking in a mirror" Eric joked. Carla turned to him,

"What did you mean book for the three of us?" Carla asked.

"It means you're coming too"

* * *

The next night they arrived at the Dallas airport, Bill had decided to take Jessica along too, so there was four of them in total.

As they were unloading, Sookie and Carla came down the steps from the plane and saw the limo, the driver was holding a card saying 'Compton party' Carla and Sookie went to meet them.

"Hey, weren't you too meant to be touching down before night?" the limo driver asked, looking nervous.

"We were delayed at take off" Carla explained with a smile.

"Do you two wanna get inside the limo? I've got the AC cranked up in there" the limo driver offered.

"No thanks, we can wait" Sookie said, the limo driver kept glancing over at the forklift that was removing the travel coffins from the plane.

Sookie screamed and the limo driver snatched for her, Carla clutched the man by the throat, and pinned him to the car roof. She heard the clicking off something close to her, but she couldn't tell what it was, before she turned to Sookie, who gasped.

"What is it Sookie?" Carla asked, Bill had sprung out of his travel coffin when he felt Sookie's fear, as did Jessica, all be it a little slower.

"Carla... you have... fangs" Sookie said, a little worried.

Carla handed the man to Bill and felt her teeth, indeed she did have fangs, just like a vampire.

Damn this was fucked up.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please give me a review, i'd love to hear what you think, plus thank you guys so much for all of your kind words and support as i have been publishing these chapters, i really enjoyed writing and sharing them with you! Hope to see you back next time for another dose!**

**Another double dose in one day! :O! ;)**

**Until next time,  
**-**Shad out.**


	14. You're still human

**Welcome back! Good to see you! I loved writing this chapter, so thanks for reading it! I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter fourteen - You're still human

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the hotel, Carla collected the keys to her room and told Sookie the number, and then went up to get settled in.

The woman behind the counter said that she was in a room with a king size bed and en suite bathroom.

When Carla got in the room she couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer size of it, the rooms walls were red and the ceiling black, with a brown carpet, most of the furniture was either black or brown and the bathroom was a crisp white, as if it had never been used before.

Carla dropped her bags by the door and took out a long flowing white sundress that Sookie had given her, with black roses embroidered into it, as well as a change of underwear, and went to have a shower.

After her shower she rapped a towel around herself and headed out of the bathroom to let the steam escape, as the room have become a hot box, due to no window being in there. She decided to wait for the steam to clear before getting dressed.

She started packing her cloths away in the draws, when she heard the front door to the apartment go, Eric senses, that she had been able to ignore for most of the day, were now stronger than ever, and she knew who can come through the door.

"Eric what the are you doing in my room?" Carla asked, turning around to look at the tall blonde vampire, who was grinning while looking her up and down.

"Well this is my room too, that's why" He said, before using his vamp speed to close the space between them and pin her up against one of the posts of the four poster king size bed. "After all, you're a guest, i didn't have to pay you to come"

Carla slid to the side so she wasn't in such a close proximity to the vampire.

"That's because you're blackmailing me instead, just leave me be Eric, get another fucking room!" Carla felt her own anger rising, and she desperately tried to keep herself calm, but Eric knew how to make her angry, he was an expert at it.

"Afraid i can't now, they've filled all their empty rooms, looks like you'll have to stay with me tonight" Carla sighed, rolling her eyes at the vampire. "Who knows, maybe we can ever have some fun?" He added, smiling at her.

"It's never possible to have fun with you Eric, and neither would i ever dream of it, because you're despicable" Carla told him.

"Well if you're going to walk around with just a towel covering yourself, i don't think i will be able to stop myself"

Carla glanced down at herself, just realizing her apparel. She spun on her heel and walked back into the bathroom to get dressed.

Opening the bathroom door, she headed for the room door, deciding to go down to the bar and get a drink, just to get out of the hotel room. Eric caught her arm as she reached the door.

"Carla, please enlighten me as to why you turned into me last night?" Carla tried to make herself take a deep breath to expel her anger, but her body just refused.

"Whatever happens to me is none of your business, Eric Northman, you have absolutely no humanity left inside your cold, dead heart, and i hope, someday, someone'll drive a stake right through it" Carla's fangs made another appearance, and she felt a tingling sensation in her eyes, as they flashed the cold icy blue that mirrored Eric's. She shoved him out of the way and left the room, taking the elevator down to the bar.

* * *

A few hours after going down to the bar, and have a total of one drink of water, Carla decided to go back up to the room, she noticed that Eric had come down from the room to talk to Bill, and they were in a secluded corner of the bar.

Carla wanted to get come rest, so when she got back to the hotel room, she changed out of her dress and put on a baggy shirt.

She also took one of the blankets from the bed and and pillow, and put it on the couch, settling down for a sleep.

She drifted off pretty easily, and before she knew it she was fast asleep on the couch.

* * *

She opened her eyes and found herself standing in the hotel room again, as if she had just walked through the door, she looked around her, everything seemed the same as when she had first come in, though the lights were off and it was quite dark.

Carla wandered into the bathroom, glancing at the decor, she looked at herself in the mirror, there was a small lamp lining the upper edge of the mirror, so she could see herself looking back at her.

Abruptly, Eric's face loomed out of the darkness, and he closed his hand over Carla's mouth, so she didn't scream.

Eric leaned his head over her shoulder and kissed the corner of her mouth, Carla smiled at herself in the mirror, before turning around slowly and letting Eric kissed her on the mouth, Eric pulled her closer, so their body's were touching.

Carla let her hands wander, she dug her nails into his back with one hand and ran her fingers through his hair with the other, making the embrace more desperate and passionate.

Eric reflected her feels back at her, pinning her against the wall of the bathroom and playfully tugging on her bottom lip with his fangs.

"Eric...?" Carla said, looking up at the blonde haired, icy eyed vampire.

"Yes?" He said, smiling down at her, the light reflecting off of his fangs.

"Bite me... please" She requested, tilting her head to the side.

Eric lowered his head and kissed down from her cheek to her neck, before biting down on her flawless skin.

* * *

Carla jumped awake and found the room to be dimmed, she was sweating heavily and panting even more. She took a few deep breaths.

"Bad dream?" Eric asked, who was sitting opposite her in an armchair, Carla had not noticed him, which made her jump again.

Carla receded back into the corner of the couch, pulling the blanket with her. As the dream came rushing back to her again, her hands flew to her neck feeling for any wounds and blood that might be there, but it was clear.

"Were you watching me while i slept?" Carla asked, staring at Eric, he hair slightly damp from the amount she had been sweating.

"It was hard to ignore you considering what you were doing"

"Which was what?"

"Calling my name" Eric told her, she could hear the grin on his lips.

"Just cut my a break Eric, it's hard enough to spend every waking moment being able to see out of your eyes and know what you're thinking, as well as having nightmares about you biting me" Carla told him, pulling the blanket up and around herself.

Though the dream didn't feel much like a nightmare, and was more arousing than terrifying, Carla didn't want to tell him that.

"You can tell what i am thinking?" Eric asked, leaning forward and putting his head on two hands.

"Yes, i can" Carla said, taking some deep breaths.

"Is this normal after you drink a vampire's blood?" Eric started a full interrogation.

"I do not know, because I've never had a vampire's blood before, you're my first" Carla explained.

"First time for everything" Eric smiled, sitting back in his chair.

"What is this vampire, Godric, to you?" Carla asked now, making sure that he wasn't asking all the questions.

"This is simply a service to the vampire community, he is very strong, and i fear if humans can kidnap him, then we may all be in danger" Eric was a good liar, but lying didn't help when you could see inside someone's head.

"Unfortunately, i don't think your lies will work with me anymore" Carla told him.

"Well then, you tell me who Godric is"

"He's your maker, you haven't seen him in a while, you're worried for his safety, that's understandable, makers must be very close to their progeny's"

Eric stood up and used his vamp speed to lean over Carla, looming over at her.

"You understand nothing of what it means" He snarled at her, he pulled off his jacket and threw it on the floor and pushed off his shoes, getting into the bed.

Carla sat up for a few moments, she was completely detracted by the thoughts she could see inside Eric's head, the vampire was so worried for his maker, he bond with the vampire was so strong, he barely stopped worrying. He was very good at hiding his emotions and burying them beneath the surface. Eric had been like a closed and sealed book, now he was the same book, but open wide, and the seals torn apart, Carla could see exactly what was inside.

Carla got up from where she was sitting on the sofa, and walked over to the bed.

Eric was laid facing away from her, on his side, he was wearing a dark red tank top and black jeans, his arms and most of his neck bare and exposed, Carla wasn't sure if she'd regret what she was about to do.

Carla got onto the bed and laid behind the vampire, wrapping her arm around his waist, she tried to be the big spoon, which was hard, considering the vampire's size compared to her.

Eric didn't move her arm, he appeared not to even notice it, but she didn't move it, she snuggled up into him, and he didn't seem to move.

Carla felt the vampire calm down considerably, she wasn't sure whether he had fallen asleep, or she was helping, be she decided to rest for the night.

Carla pushed her eyes closed, ready for any dreams that her brain had prepared for her.

* * *

Carla woke up a couple of hours before sunset the next evening, and ordered some food into the room and had a meal before Eric woke up so he wouldn't have to deal with the smell.

Then she got dressed and ready for the night's events. Eric, Sookie, Bill and Carla were going to Godric's nest at sun down to speak to his assistants as sheriff, and decide on a plan to find him.

As soon as the sun went down, Eric was up and in the shower. It only took him a few minutes to finish and he wandered out to put on some fresh clothes, a black T-shirt, leather jacket and black jeans to be exact.

Carla stood up from where she was sitting on the sofa waiting for him to be finished, hanging her bag over her shoulder.

"Are you ready now?" She asked him, heading for the door.

"Yes... let's go" Eric said, with a stiff jaw. Before Carla could open the door Eric stopped her, putting his hand on the knob. "Was that you who was in bed with me last night?" He asked, looking her dead in the eye, his signature mocking smile on his face.

"Yes, of course it was me" Carla told him.

"Well, you do have a thing for me, don't you" Eric chuckled, and Carla glared at him.

"I have a thing for apples, chocolate and ice cream too, don't think yourself too special" Carla pushed his hand away and opened the door, heading out to the limo that would be transporting them.

* * *

It had been about an hour and a half, and the two vampires who were closely involved with Godric had simply been fighting with each other the whole time.

"Just take out the whole place, preemptive strike" Stan, the male, cowboy vampire suggested.

"Oh yes, and have the military bomb us back into the middle ages" Isabel, like the complete opposite of Stan, was a tall and beautiful woman, wearing all white.

"Heh, things were better back then" Stan chuckled.

"Just shut the fuck up, for the love of-" Carla yelled, but was ignored.

"Then go to Romania and live in a cave-"

Eric threw a vase against the wall, causing it to shatter and litter the carpet with shards of porcelain.

"Godric has made you rich and protected you, yet here you stand squabbling and spitting like infants!" Eric yelled at the two.

"Do neither of you care that there is a traitor in your midst?" Bill asked.

"No" Stan said.

"Impossible" Isabel added.

"Someone tried to kidnap me and Carla from the airport, he was with the fellowship, and there we should start" Sookie told them.

"You two were the only ones that knew she was coming?" Bill questioned the two fighting vampires.

"Explain" Eric said, looking volatile, he walked closer to the two vampires.

"Unless it was you" They both said at the same time to each other.

"Look, just don't start fucking fighting again, i swear to god i will loose it if you fucking start" Carla warned. Stan growled at her.

"This is what we're gonna do, i will infiltrate the fellowship of the sun, i'll pretend i wanna join, the limo driver said that they didn't know what i looked like so i'll just pose and listen in on all their thoughts" Sookie explained.

"Sookie, in the light i can't protect you" Bill informed her of the one flaw in her plan.

"I'll go with her, we can pretend to be sisters, it'll be easy enough, if anything goes wrong i can protect her" Carla said, glancing at Eric, who was staring at her.

"Fine, it is decided" Eric agreed.

"There's no point in infiltrating, when we can just drain them all, i want no part in this" Stan said, as he walked out of the room.

Eric and Bill disappeared to have a word alone, while Sookie and Isabel talked about their relationships, as Sookie was with Bill, and Isabel had a human she was with, Hugo.

Shortly after their lone conversation, the vampires decided to return to the hotel.

* * *

There are a few hours left of the night until dawn, but Carla felt exhausted and needed to keep up her strength for the next morning, she had to get some rest before then.

Sookie had decided they were going at about mid day the next day, so once Carla got back into the hotel room, she thought about getting ready for bed.

Eric, thankfully, had gone down to the bar to feed, so he wasn't with her, but because he was still close, Carla could see into his head still.

Though the image was getting fainter, Carla could see that Eric was feeding on a brown haired woman, her hair was in loose curls and she was wearing a short black dress, she was quite beautiful, but Eric was merely interested in feed on her, actually he seemed quite bored and preoccupied from what Carla could tell.

Resigning herself to not getting any rest until Eric went to ground, Carla walked back out of the hotel room and down to the bar. She knew exactly where Eric was, and went to go and meet him, but when she arrived, the human was no longer there, instead there was a vampire sitting across from Eric.

She had hair down to her shoulders, pink lipstick, and fine jewelry, her dress was long and had a black and pink pattern. They seemed to be deep in conversation, so Carla sat a few tables in front of where they were, and listened in on them.

"... Bill has something i want, and he's in the way" Eric explained.

"His human?" the woman asked, sounding surprised.

"She's something more than human"

"What is she?"

"Now that, i do not know" Eric sighed. "But whatever she is, he loves her"

"What makes you think, i want him back? That i'd even take him"

"Because you didn't come all this way just to see me" Eric explained.

"I haven't seen Bill Compton in over seventy years, surely you can't think i have any pull over him what so ever"

"I haven't seen my maker for much longer than that, and yet i am still loyal to him"

"Shame i didn't turn you... then again, you're not really my type"

Carla had heard enough, she stood up and headed for the elevator hurriedly, she jammed the button for her floor as fast as she could, she had to tell Sookie and warn Bill about what Eric was planning.

The lift dinged as she arrived at the right floor, and she rushed along the corridor. She raised her hand to knock on Sookie's door, but something caught her wrist.

She looked at Eric, who was stood next to her, stopping her from knocking on Sookie and Eric's door.

He covered her mouth before she could speak. Within a second they were back in their own room, and he let her go.

"What the fuck Eric!" Carla exclaimed.

"I can't allow you to tell Bill what my plans are, i can feel you emotions too, you know"

Carla cursed under her breath, glaring at Eric.

"What is wrong with you, Eric? Do humans only interest you when they are of use to you?"

Eric shrugged, and leaned against the back of the sofa.

"If you don't answer me, i can just look inside your head and find the answer, so fucking speak!" Carla pointed at Eric, warning him. He chuckled at her.

"Humans are food, humans that can be useful can be regarded as more than food, Sookie is special, and therefore i want her, her power if very useful, i just wish to have it to myself, i am not attracted to her in any way" Eric explained.

"I don't care if you are attracted to her or not, that's not the issue, the issue is that Sookie is a person, she is not an object to be traded and used whenever you feel like it, no-one is"

"I'm afraid that is all humans are to vampires, just like cattle are to humans"

"The difference is, cattle are not emotionally aware, humans are!"

"Bill is overly attached to Sookie, if anything happens inside that church tomorrow, he will kill every human in there to save Sookie, and you know it's true, i need Lorena to keep him here so he doesn't do anything to injure vampire relations" Eric informed her, and Carla had to agree, Bill did seem like he would go to that extreme for Sookie, unfortunately.

Eric went completely blank, assuming his look of thoughtfulness, as if he was hundreds of thousands of miles away from this place at that very moment.

Carla closed her eyes, and rubbed her face with her hands.

Something at the back of her mind caught her attention. Eric was almost in pieces, he was so worried, even terrified, he was like a child who had lost their parents, he didn't know which way to turn, he thought that Godric was dead.

Carla couldn't think twice before she had her arms around Eric's waist, and her head laying against his shoulder, tears edged their way down her cheeks.

"Please don't do that" Eric said, not making an effort to move her. "You're making me feel disturbingly human" He added, unlacing her arms from him and moving her away.

Carla wiped her eyes with her hands quickly.

"You make it seem like you were never human, but you were human, Eric Northman, just because you're a vampire doesn't mean that you can go through life without feeling anything, your humanity is still inside there, i can feel it, and i can see it, and it's beautiful and touching and lovable, don't pretend it's not there, don't hide it" Eric didn't take his eyes of hers, taking in what she was saying.

"I'm not human, and so i have no humanity" Eric muttered, standing up straight.

Carla caught the vampires arm as he walked towards the door.

"Stop!" Eric said, turned around and revealing his fangs to Carla, and snarling in her face. "Stop before a fucking eat you" He finished, before walking out.

Carla laid down on the sofa, and closed her eyes, forcing herself to sleep.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please tell me, what do you think of my portrayal of Eric? I believe that Eric thinks he hasn't been human for an awful long time, so he hides his feelings and his humanity because he feels like a monster, so he acts like one. Anyway that's what i'm going for with this story.  
****Please R&amp;R! I'd love to hear what you think, thanks so much for reading, hope to see you back next time!  
****-Shad out**


	15. The Church

**Welcome back and thanks for coming back! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for all of your support and kind words!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter fifteen - The Church

* * *

The next morning, Hugo, Isabel's human, Sookie and Carla all were in a car just about to arrive at the Fellowship of the Sun church in Dallas.

Isabel had offered to let Hugo accompany Sookie and Carla into the building, to make them look like a family, Carla was going to pose as Sookie's sister, and Hugo as Sookie's fiance.

As they drove into the parking lot, a woman in a matching gold skirt and jacket with the almost exactly the same color hair waved them over to her, she was wearing shades and Sookie asked why she recognized her.

Hugo explained that she was Steve Newlin's wife, and she appeared on TV a lot, her name was Sarah Newlin.

Hugo parked up in a space closest to the church and the three of them climbed out of the car.

"Hey! I saw you three drivin' up as i was sitting inside the thought i'd come out and greet you myself, i'm Sarah Newlin, nice to meet you" Sarah offered her hand to the three of them. "And who are you lot?"

"Hi! I'm Holly Simpson! I can't believe that i'm finally meeting you in person, you are as cute as a button!"

"Oh thank you" Sarah smiled at Sookie, who was definitely over playing the part. "And who's this"

"Oh sorry, this is my fiance, Rufus Thompson, you know a love that word, i almost wanna not get married so i can keep calling him it, but we are going to, get married that is" Sookie blabbered on.

"And you, miss?"

"May Simpson" Carla smiled at Sarah, speaking before Sookie could, shaking the woman's hand. "I'm Holly's sister"

"Well why don't you come on inside and meet Steve, i'm sure he's available and would just love to meet you both" Sarah said, walking beside the three of them into the church.

"For real? Reverend Newlin himself? That's be just great" Sookie grinned.

"Well, come on!"

* * *

The reverend sat behind his desk, and Sarah stood behind Steve, Sookie continued to rabbit on the whole time, she claimed out in the parking lot that she was nervous, and when she got nervous she sometimes talked to much.

Sookie spun out their fake story about Sookie and Hugo meeting at church, and not liking their pastor, and they had informed Carla about it, and she had wanted to come with them. The group were pretending to be anti-vampires to give off the right vibe.

Shortly after they explained that Sookie and Hugo wanted to get married at the church, Steve offered to show them around. They agreed to keep up appearences, and Steve took them around the church.

The three of them followed Steve, Sarah and a friend of Steve's, or so he said, called Gabe around the church. As the tour went on and on, Sookie seemed to get more and more nervous.

Carla knew that something must be wrong, and they needed to get out.

Carla looked at her watch.

"My, my, look at the time" Carla said, gasping at her watch. "Holly we've got to get back to mother, she'll be needing her lunch" Sookie turned to Carla and nodded.

"Yes, Mr Newlin, i'm afraid we have to be going now" Sookie told him, sadly.

"Oh, but there's only one last thing we need you to see and then you can go, the last bit of the church then you can say you've seen in all and make an informed decision" Steve led them into a small room with a single door, he pulled it back and let led to a stair case going downwards. "This here is my father's tomb, you can actually feel his presence down here, come on, just a little peek"

"Rufus" Sookie said, looking frightened.

"I'm sorry but Holly has a bad case of claustrophobia, and so do i, actually, i think we should stay up here" Hugo explained.

"Come on, it won't take a second just to peek" Steve encouraged.

"But we've already decided we're getting married here" Sookie told Steve, but he didn't listen.

"Gabe, Now!"

Carla turned around only to feel a sharp scratch in her shoulder muscle, then she felt dizzy and tired, and it slowly escalated.

Carla tired to ball her hands into fists, but they refused to work, her muscles disobeyed her.

Before she knew it, she was on the ground and helpless, and all she could hear was Sookie screaming.

* * *

Carla snapped her eyes open and sat up straight, Sookie was instantly by her side.

"Carla? Are you alright?" she asked, looking her up and down.

"I'm fine, i think, my back's a little sore and i feel bruised all over but whatever, what happened?"

"You've been asleep for about a day, Steve jabbed you with some sorta stuff in a syringe and then beat you up good, he threw us all in here, you've been asleep for about a day" Sookie explained to her.

Carla looked down at her body, she was black and blue and was starting to even feel dizzy.

"Did Bill not come to get you?" Carla asked, finally registering that if she had been asleep for almost a day, Bill had not come to get Sookie at night.

"No, i don't know why or what's going on" Sookie said, sighing.

Hugo hopped up from here he was sitting and started to bang on the wire mesh of the cage they were locked in.

"Hey! I need to use the bathroom!" He yelled, shaking the metal.

Sookie got up and took a bottle to him, "Here, i'll turn away" She told him, but he knocked it out of her hand.

"I don't need that, i need to get the hell out of here!" Hugo yelled in her face.

"This is not helping, look, just sit down! Try to relax!" Sookie grabbed the man's hand, and suddenly went silent.

"You" she said, after a pause. "You're the traitor" Sookie said, looking disgusted with Hugo.

Carla pulled herself up, brushing the dust off of herself.

"I used to be just like you" Hugo said, going to sit down in the corner on the box. "Thought of myself as a real emancipated thinker, specially when Isabel took me to bed, yeah the sex was... amazing, the best- Well, you know, it's addictive, isn't it, to be desired by something that powerful"

"I'm not addict" Sookie said, shaking her head.

Carla stood in the small beam of sunlight that was coming into the room via a small window, her bruises shriveled into small black dots on her skin and then faded.

"No, well i guess you wouldn't know how your life changes to suit them, start missing work, can't get up in the morning, can't stand to leave them after dark, before you know it you're somebody you don't even recognize" Hugo explained.

"So you went to the Fellowship because you can't control yourself?" Sookie asked.

"I begged her to turn me, it was the only way that we could be together, as equals, but they like you when you're weaker than them, they don't want us to be equals, she just used me, like Bill is using you"

"You don't know Bill"

"I know he and his friends are having you do their dirty work, i mean a telepath's gotta be a real trophy for a vampire"

"Shut up!" Sookie shouted at him.

"All they're about is their own kind, that's why i joined the fellowship"

"Hugo, shut the fuck up" Carla said, glaring at the man. "Bill and Sookie are completely and utterly different from you and Isabel, besides, shows how much the fellowship cares about you when they've got you locked in a cage in the basement with the rest of us, you're nothing but a fang-banging traitor to them"

Hugo sat quietly alone from that point on, and Carla walked over to Sookie.

"Sookie, i seed your help with something" Carla said, sitting down in front of the telepath.

"What?"

"I just need to borrow some of your power, just hold onto my hands, i'll try and get to Eric" Carla took Sookie's hands.

"Is this going to make me pass out again?" Sookie asked. Carla shook her head.

"No, i promise" Carla squeezed the girls hands.

Carla closed her eyes and concentrated on using Sookie's telepathy and sending a message through Carla and Eric's connection.

She closed her eyes, and focused on the thoughts in the back of her mind that weren't even her own, she felt a jolt go through her, and her head started to hurt excruciatingly.

"Carla?" Sookie said, disturbing her. "Are you okay?"

Carla opened her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, but i don't think anything got through" Carla said, sighing. "We'll just have to wait for night fall and see"

A few hours later the sun went down and then Gabe came through one of the doors in the wall opposite the cage, he walked to the gate in the cage and unlocked it.

"Hey, Gabe, she knows everything, so i hope that Steve knows that i'm gonna need protection from now on" Hugo explained. "What happened to your face?" he asked, and Gabe attacked him, punching him heavily in the face until he shriveled to the ground.

"STOP!" Sookie yelled, jumping on the man's back, and he bashed her body against the shelves in the cell. Pinning her against them and strangling her.

Carla pulled the man away from Sookie, making him let her go, she punched him square in the nose, and he lurched forward, punching her in the ribs. Carla didn't let it affect her and kicked the man in the stomach, sending him back winded, he fell to the floor. Carla was on him in seconds, kicking him in the chest with all the force she could muster, but he grabbed her by the ankle and tiwsted it painfully, causing her fall forward and catch the side of her rib cage on the door frame of the metal cage, cracking a rib.

She rolled over so she was on her back, and tried the shuffle backwards away from the man, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back into him.

Within half of a second, Gabe was plucked from the floor and help squirming in the air by a short muscular boy, he looked no older than fourteen or fifteen.

"Godric?" Sookie and Carla asked at the same time.

Godric snapped the man's neck with a flick of his wrist, and dropped his corpse to the ground.

He looked from Carla to Sookie. "You should not have come" He told them.

Suddenly there was commotion from upstairs, screams and panicked voices bled through the floor boards that separated the two floors of the building.

"Bill?" Sookie said, getting up from where she was sitting on the floor.

"No" Godric said, closing his eyes. "I am here my child, down here"

Carla also felt the intensifying thoughts at the back of her head as Eric got closer.

Eric ran down into the basement, seeing Godric, and then walked towards him, kneeling before him.

Carla pulled herself up, holding her side, the pain was aching but not too bad, though it was a distraction.

"You were a fool for sending humans after me" Godric said down at his progeny.

"I had no other choice, these, savages, they seek to destroy you" Eric explained, looking up at his maker.

Carla noticed the markings on Godric's skin, she recognized them, but she knew that this was not the time for chit chat, and kept quiet.

"I am aware of what they have planned" Godric told him, looking up phased by knowing this.

"This one betrayed you" Godric explained, glancing down at Hugo, who was unconscious.

"It was a trap, he was with the fellowship" Sookie explained.

"How long has it been since you have fed?" Eric asked, Godric, ignoring Sookie and Carla completely.

"I require very little blood anymore" Godric said, turning back to his progeny.

Suddenly an alarm started sounding, and everyone looked around to make sure no-one was coming.

"Save the humans, go on" Godric told his progeny, Eric looked confused.

"I am not leaving your side unti-"

"I can take care of myself" Godric informed Eric.

"Come on Eric, we have to go" Carla said, heading for the door.

"Spill no blood on your way out" Godric said, and Eric got up, leading the two women out.

When they reached the top of the stairs, the door was guarded by three guards with stakes.

"I could have you out in seconds" Eric told them.

"There's kids out there!" Sookie said.

"Those humans won't harm us"

"Why didn't you bring Bill with you?" Sookie asked.

"Because Bill is overly attached, he would go to insane lengths to make sure that you were safe, i doubt he wouldn't kill children to make sure you were safe" Carla butted in, shuffling closer to the door so she could get a look. "I can deal with this" Carla told Eric, about to walk out into the room, but Eric caught her arm.

"No, Godric told me to get you out alive, i'm not going to risk it" Eric said, pushing her back next to Sookie.

"Good to know you have so much faith in me" Carla narrowed her eyes at him, and he walked out into the hallway.

Eric quickly knocked out all of the men guarding the entrance, and looked out of the front doors.

Carla and Sookie came running over to Eric, and he stepped back inside the church.

"Those arrows are wood" one of the men said, who was leaning against the wall, disarmed by Eric. "You'll never make it through"

"Eric! Through the sanctuary" Sookie said, leading them back into the main section of the church, with the pews and the alter.

They hurried up the isle, Sookie and Carla having to jog to keep up with Eric's huge stride.

"Where's the exit?" Eric asked, looking around.

"That way" Sookie and Carla said together.

"There are several exits actually, for you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell" Steve Newlin said, walking around the alter and standing in front of it, looking at the three of them.

Carla stepped forward, about to punch the lights out of him. But Eric stopped her.

"No bloodshed" He said, and Carla stepped back.

Three doors around them were thrown open, and hordes of people carrying silver, chains, stakes, bows and arrows and guns all walked in, surrounding them.

"Let us go!" Sookie yelled at Steve. "Save yourselves! No-one has to die!"

"The war has begun, you evil whore of Satan, you vampires cast the first stone by killing my family, the lines have been drawn, you're either with us, or against us. We are prepared, for Armageddon"

"The vampire you were holding got away, he's a sheriff, he's bound to send help" Sookie continued.

"I'm not concerned with Godric" Steve shrugged. "Any vampire'll do for out grand celebration, and we got one right here"

Carla looked at Eric, who was staring down at her. She shook her head at him, standing in front of him as to prevent him from going up to the alter, and protect him from Steve.

Eric put his hand on Carla's shoulder.

"I'll be fine" He said, giving himself up.

Carla ran forward to stop him, but was grabbed by some of the mob. "No, ERIC!" She screamed, but he didn't turn.

"Brother's and sisters, there will be a holy bonfire at dawn!" Steve shouted, silvering Eric to the alter, his fangs extended, and his skin burned, Carla pulled against the man holding her, but he thumped her in the ribs, where one of them was already cracked. She cried out in pain and fell to her knees, Eric snarled.

Steve Newlin laughed.

"Pick her up and make her watch her vampire suffer, fucking Satan worshiping slut" One of the men did as he said, pulling her head back by her hair, forcing her to stand a watch.

"I gave myself for Godric's freedom, as well as the two girls" Eric said, but Steve shook his head.

"Oh, how noble, but they are as much to blame as you, we should strap them to you, and you'll all burn together" Steve mocked.

Commotion ensued outside, and Bill ran into the hall. "SOOKIE!" He yelled. Running towards her. But Steve held a gun to Sookie's head, making Bill stop moving.

"If you shoot her, everyone here will die!" Bill threatened, his fangs exposed. "Let her go now!"

"Honestly, what do they see in you? Sodiers, some silver chains for our friend here" Steve said.

Enough.

Carla tore herself away from the men, and ran towards the alter.

She caught the chains that weakened Eric with her hand, yanking most of them off of him.

Steve Newlin turned on his heel and shot at Carla, catching her in the chest, just below her right breast.

Carla leaned back against the alter, he energy completely spent, pushing down on the wound to try and stop the bleeding.

"Newlin!" Someone yelled from the other side of he mob and the room, there was a shot, and Steve cried out in pain, dropping his gun. Everyone gasped and backed away from Steve. "Let her go, fuckwad!" Jason Stackhouse called, before shooting him in the forehead with another paintball round.

Bill ran forward and pushed the men away from Sookie, Carla reached up and pulled the last chain off of Eric's arm, setting him free.

Eric shot up from the alter and grabbed Steve by the neck, slamming him down against the steps up to the alter.

"Eric" Carla gasped, trying to ignore the pain. "No bloodshed" She repeated back to him.

"Kill the motherfucker!" Jason yelled.

"God ahead! Martyr us! Martyr us before god! We are willing to die!" Steve begged Eric.

Immediately, Stan and a band of other Dallas vampires walked through the double doors into the hall.

"Steve Newlin, you pushed us to far, you expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We'll kill ya first, same way we did your father" Stan admitted.

"Murderer!" Steve yelled from under Eric's hold.

"Destroy them! All of them!" Stan yelled, and all the vampires sped into the horde of humans and grabbed themselves a meal, Eric let Steve go and stood up straight.

"Enough!" A voice came from the back of the church, everyone looked, and saw Godric. "You came for me i assume, underling?" Godric asked, talking to Stan.

"Yes sheriff" he replied.

"These people have not harmed me, you see? We can coexist... Mr Newlin? I do not wish to create bloodshed where none is called for, help me set an example, if we leave you in peace, will you do the same.

"I will not negotiate, with sub humans!" Steve replied, he got up on his knees in front of Eric, pulling his collar down to reveal his neck. "Kill me, do it, Jesus will protect me"

"I am actually older than your Jesus, i wish i could have known him, but i missed it" Godric told him, using his speed to get down from the balcony in seconds. He grabbed Steve by the back of his shirt, and lifted him to his feet.

"Good people, who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?" Godric asked, and no-one spoke up. "That's what i thought, stand down everyone" all of the vampires let go of their humans, and retracted their fangs. "People, go home, it's over now"

Sookie hugged Bill tightly, burying her head in his chest.

Steve started begging the humans not to leave him, as they all continued to file out of the hall.

"I dare say my faith in human kind is stronger than yours" Godric told him. "Come" Godric ordered Stan and the rest of the vampires to follow him.

Eric ran over to Carla, who was leaning back against the alter, still trying to staunch the bleeding.

"I'm fine" Carla told him, getting pale. Eric shook his head at her and bit into his wrist, and pulled Carla's hand away from the wound, letting his blood flow into the bullet wound, it healed quickly, and Carla's eyes mirrored the color of Eric's, but she didn't transform into Eric this time.

Eric picked Carla up in his arms and carried her out of the church, only a few steps behind Godric.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave me a review and tell me what you thought!  
****Eric and Carla are going to continue to get closer throughout the coming chapters.**

-**Shad out.**


	16. Bomber

**Here's your two update Tuesday! Please review!**

**Hey! Welcome back! I hope you enjoy this one! Thank you so much for coming back and all the support this fic is receiving! I love writing it, so i am happy that you guys like reading it! This chapter will see Godric and Carla talk about their similarities and differences, in terms of what they both are, surprise incoming! Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter sixteen - Bomber

* * *

Once they all arrived back at the nest, Godric sat in one of the corners, surrounded by two body guards, everyone came over to pay their respects to him, everyone was happy to see him back and well.

Carla and Sookie changed out of their clothes, and came down to join the party as well.

The nest was full of vampires and humans alike all talking and having a good time.

Carla waited patiently across the room from Godric, she was waiting for the people to disperse so she could go and have a private word with him about the markings on his body.

Unfortunately there was still a long line of people waiting to see him, so Carla just observed quietly.

Eric had abandoned her as soon as they had gotten back, and Sookie had gone to try and talk to Bill alone, though he was constantly avoiding the inevitable questions she would have.

Eric caught Carla's eye, she hadn't seen him around the party until now. Jason Stackhouse walked away from Godric, after having spoke to him, but Eric blocked his path, his looming form making Jason look nervous.

Carla pushed herself away from the wall, and went to break the two up, knowing that what Eric was saying couldn't be good, something about the V Jason had been in a few weeks back, no doubt.

Carla tapped Eric's shoulder, and he turned around.

"I need to speak with you in private, if that's okay with you, Jason?" Carla said, blinking at the muscular human man.

"Y-yeah, no problem" Jason said, pushing past Eric to escape.

Eric had his signature little grin on his face.

"You've been avoiding me all evening, why?" Carla said, blinking at the vampire.

"No reason" Eric said, about to walk away.

Carla caught his arm. Eric shook it off.

"There is a reason, tell me"

Eric leaned over the woman, looking down into her face.

"You make me feel disturbingly human, please remove yourself from my company" Eric said, a little bit of a snarl in his voice. Eric left, leaving Carla standing there frustrated.

Carla glanced over her shoulder and saw he was going to join Bill and Sookie, which made her bite the end of her tongue. She was starting to despise this obsession he had with her.

Carla saw that Godric was mostly alone, so she walked to meet him, she held out her hand to the vampire, and he took it, light green energy sparked at the end of her fingertips. Godric looked surprised.

"I never thought i'd see another druid outside, you're the first" Carla smiled at the vampire.

"As you are mine" Godric replied. Carla sat down on her knees in front of the vampire, taking her hand back.

"May i ask how old you are?" Carla questioned, and Godric nodded with a smile.

"Two thousand years old" Godric replied.

"Wow, they said the organisation was old, but i think i underestimated quite how hold they meant" Carla said, clasping her hands together.

"Where are your markings?" Godric asked, studying the sections of Carla's flesh that were exposed, which was around her neck and her arms, her legs were covered by the long black and red dress she was wearing, it as patterned with birds.

"We choose to hide them now" Carla raised her hand and traced a line just underneath her clavicles. Green energy sparked in her finger again, and a black marking, the exact same as Godric's appeared around where her finger had traced, it disappeared a moment later.

"What are you doing so far away from home?" Godric asked, giving a small smile.

"Well..." Carla sighed, her eyes glazing over slightly. "I had a child" Godric nodded.

"I was banished when i became a vampire, it is forbidden"

"Like most things"

"Does Eric know what you are? You are his human, are you not?" Godric asked.

"No, he doesn't know, and i am not his human" Carla explained.

"Oh? You should be, you two seem good together, he cares for you" Godric smiled down at Carla. Carla shook her head and sighed.

"I find it hard to think he does, the way he acts says otherwise" Carla told Godric, pulling her knees to her chest.

"I believe that is the way he wants you to feel because he cannot grasp why you do not react to him with contempt and hate, those emotions he is used to, where as he is not used to care and kindness"

Carla took a moment to think about that.

"Is Eric always so hard to get along with?"

"Mostly, yes" Godric smiled, he stood up from his chair and took Carla's hand, picking her up as well. "But once you get past the rough exterior, he is loving and loyal"

Carla hugged Godric, and he went rigid for a moment, not knowing how to react, but then he patted Carla's back. They pulled away from one another as Isabel came striding over to Godric, she held Hugo's shirt in her hand, and dropped him in front of the sheriff.

"This is the one who betrayed us" Isabel said, tears in her eyes.

"Hugo? He is your human, is he not?" Godric asked, looking from the man kneeling on the ground to Isabel.

"Yes he is" Isabel replied.

"Do you love him?"

"I... I-I thought i did" Isabel said, starting to cry again. Carla rested her hand on the vampire's shoulder.

"It appears you love him still" Godric said.

"I do" Isabel admitted. "I am sorry... but you are my sheriff, do with him as you please"

"You are free to go" Godric said, addressing Hugo, who looked confused.

"What?!" Stan stepped forward from where he stood against the wall.

"The human is free to go" Godric repeated, sitting back down in his chair, Carla let go of Isabel's shoulder. "And do not return, i fear it is not safe for you here" Godric told Hugo, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"This is a travesty" Stan continued.

"This is my verdict" Godric retorted. "Eric, escort them out, make sure he leaves unharmed" Eric stepped forward from the crowd that had gathered to hear Godric's ruling, and grabbed the human by the back of his shirt. Eric gave Carla a cold stare as he walked out.

"Thank you sheriff" Isabel said, tears streaming down her face, and she followed Eric out.

Carla turned back to Godric.

"Well you are unique" She said, smiling down at him.

"Well, aren't we all?" Godric asked.

"Well, yes, but you are unlike any other vampire i have ever seen, you are full of care and kindness, you empathize on a human level, it is a very desirable trait" Carla explained, and Godric smiled.

"Thank you" He said.

"What was your specialty?" Carla asked.

"Elements and Transformation" Godric replied. "But i was always better at Elements" he admitted, "And you?"

"Transformation and Divination" Carla told him, smiling. "But Transformation was always my favorite, and my Divination manifests in just a feeling in the pit of my stomach or a feeling that something is not quite right, and usually after or during something happening, so it was never very refined" Carla explained.

Isabel walked back into the lair, she glanced at Godric, and then wandered off to join the main group of people. Eric followed her in, and made straight for Godric. Carla looked up at the tall blonde vampire, and he returned her gaze.

"Might i have a moment alone with my maker?" Eric asked, and Carla nodded, walking away to find Sookie. She found her over by a table, on her own.

"Hey Sookie, how're you feeling?" Carla asked.

"Hey Carla, yeah i'm alright i suppose, it's just that Bill's been avoiding being along with me all night, he told me that he was held against his own will, and that was why he didn't come and get me at the church, but he keeps getting side tracked every time he tries to explain" Sookie explained, she frowned.

"Where is he?" Carla asked, glancing around.

"He's talking with Jason outside somewhere, he said it was important" Sookie told her.

"Hello, I'm Lorena" A vampire suddenly butted in, addressing Sookie.

"Nice to meet you, i'm Sookie, and this is Carla" Sookie smiled at the woman, and Carla nodded.

"Mmm, yes, you are what all the fuss is about?" Lorena smiled, she worse a flowing red dress with matching red lipstick, her hair was pulled into a bob on the top of her head.

"Excuse me?" Sookie asked, looking confused.

"Aren't you a morsel" Lorena added.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Sookie asked.

"Well, we have a mutual friend" Lorena told her.

"Bill?"

"That's right, funny he never mentioned me, i practically made him what he is today" Lorena explained, a condescending smile on her face.

"Lorena?!" Bill said, walking towards them.

"Oh, hello darling, i was just getting to know your plaything, you always did like to prey on the innocent" Lorena smiled a Bill, looking Sookie up and down.

"Bill, is this your maker?" Sookie asked.

"She released me years ago, she no longer had any hold over me" Bill explained, looking at Lorena with pure contempt.

"Strange that she still hangs around like a bad smell" Carla butted in, staring intensely at Lorena.

"We had two marvelous nights in your hotel room" Lorena told Sookie.

"What?!" Sookie asked.

"Do you know that your boyfriend, hit me over the head with a fifty-two inch plasma television earlier tonight? Everyone says they're so thin and light, but let me tell you, when wielded properly, it;s quite a weapon" Lorena told Sookie.

"Lorena you need to leave" Bill said.

"I agree, it is plain obvious that you are not welcome here, it would be appreciated if you stop humiliating yourself and leave" Carla cut in.

"Don't you tell me lies, William wants me here, we're in love" Lorena hissed desperately at Carla.

"Maybe you do love him, but it is blatantly obvious that he does not love you" Carla retorted.

"Take those word back, or they will be your last!" Lorena drew her fangs at Carla, but she didn't even pay attention.

"I would leave, we both know that you've lost this one" Carla added, and Lorena grabbed her around the throat, slamming her down on the table, Carla grabbed the vampire by the wrist, pulling her arm behind her back with such force that it sprung from it's socket. Carla stood back, and Lorena popped it back into its socket, then turned to continue her attack, but she was interrupted by Godric, who held her by the throat. Eric appeared behind Carla, holding her arms so she didn't attack, thought she didn't plan to anyway.

"Retract. Your. Fangs. Now." Godric said, his voice calm as a gentle breeze on the beach.

Lorena did as she was told, backing away from Carla, until she sat on the back of one of the sofa's.

"I neither know, nor care, who you are, but in this area, and certainly in this nest, i am the authority, do you understand?" Godric asked, his authority absolute.

"Yes, sheriff" Lorena answered, her words quivering. Godric released her throat, and her took unsteady, unnecessary breaths.

"These humans have proven themselves to be courageous, and loyal friends to our kind, and yet you treat them like a child does a dragon fly, pulling off wings for sport, no wonder they hate us" Godric sounded deadly serious and full of sorrow at the same town.

"She provoked me" Lorena winged.

"And you provoked me, you disrupted the peace in my own home, i could snap you like a twig, but i haven't, and why is that?"

"It's your choice" Lorena told him, still sounding terrified.

"Indeed it is, you're an old vampire, i can tell, you've had hundreds of years to better yourself, yet you haven't, you are still a savage, and i fear for all out lives, humans and vampires, if this behavior persists" Godric addressed the whole room, before turning to Bill. "You, you seem to know her?" He asked.

"Yes sheriff" Bill replied, looking a little embarrassed.

"Escort her from the nest" Godric ordered, and Bill turned to Sookie to make sure she was uninjured.

"I want you out of my area before dawn" Godric told Lorena, and Lorena stood up and walked for the door, Bill following. Everyone went back to their conversations.

Eric grabbed Carla's shoulder, making her turned to face him.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, looking down her body.

"Oh Eric, how thoughtful of you, i never knew you cared" Carla told him, glaring.

"Don't be stupid Carla, just tell me that she didn't do anything to hurt you"

"Of course not, thanks to Godric, i escaped without a scratch" The feeling of great unease suddenly hit Carla, and she glanced around the room, she saw a familiar looking boy standing in the entrance to the lair, he wore a over padded back coat, something was wrong.

Carla ran to Sookie and grabbed her hand, pulled her away from the man.

"What is it Carla, what's wrong?" Sookie asked, before pulling her hand away and following her gaze.

"Excuse me everyone? If i could have your attention" Everyone looked at the boy or got into a position where they could see him. "My name is Luke MacDonald, i'm a member of the Fellowship of the sun" Vampires all around her started to stand up and growl at the boy. Carla grabbed Sookie's arm, trying to pull her away. "and i have a message from Reverend Steve Newlin" The boy opened his coat to reveal silver chains and bricks all around him, with a black shape in the center, with flashing lights on it.

Carla grabbed Sookie and pulled her underneath herself, shielding her, she heard the start of the explosion, but everything quickly went quiet.

There was something incredibly heavy on top of her, and she couldn't move.

Maybe she was dead? She thought, but when she convinced her eyes to open themselves, she saw Sookie's golden hair in front of her eyes.

She couldn't hear anything, only an ungodly ringing, the weight at her back was removed, and she rolled of of Sookie, trying to pull herself upright.

She wobbled and fell back down next to Sookie, who grasped onto her hand, dazed and confused.

"CARLA!" She faintly heard Eric yelling in her ear, and she looked up to see that he was bleeding, and covering in dust, ash and debris.

Sookie sat up next to her, trying to stand up, but falling back down as Carla had done.

Bill appeared and clutched onto Sookie's hand, before turning and running out of the lair.

Eric pulled Carla to her feet, supporting her in his arms.

"Are you okay?" Eric asked, his mouth right next to Carla's ear, so she could hear, though he hearing was getting better by the moment.

Carla nodded, and touched one of Eric's wounds, as it was healing.

"Are you?" She asked him, and he nodded.

Bill came back and few moments later, and picked up Sookie in his arms, Carla was still walking with Eric's aid.

"EVERYONE?!" Isabel called, getting everyone's attention.

"Y'all? Listen up!" Jason added.

"They may come back, go to the Hotel Carmilla, they have been informed, security is in place" Godric told them all, his voice as calm as ever, though he was covered in blood, dust, and ash.

Everyone got up and headed for the Hotel, some carrying wounded, all with the thoughts of those lost in the blast. Eric took picked up Carla in his arms and headed for the door.

He flew back to the hotel, taking her to the room.

* * *

A few hours later, Carla sat with her back against the outside wall of the bathroom, while Eric showered.

Her legs were covered in ash and blood, she had a few cuts and bruises, but they had healed quickly after the explosion.

Her dress was completely ruined, torn up and covered in all sorts of muck after the explosion.

Carla starred down at her bloodied hands, her eyes completely glazed over, all she could think about was that she wasn't good enough, fast enough to save the people who had been killed.

Carla had told Eric to go in first, as she didn't feel she could stand up on her own yet.

Carla dug her nails into her flesh, as the fists her hands had made were so tight, she released the pressure and saw the cuts heal together.

Carla sighed, rubbing her face with her hands, and they came back even dirtier.

The sound of water spraying in the bathroom quickly turned off, and she heard Eric step out and dry himself off. He strode out of the bathroom with a towel covering his lower section, and pulled some clothes on.

"It's free" Eric told Carla, as if she might have missed him coming out.

"Yes, i know, i just..." Carla said, trailing off.

"You just what?" He asked, squatting in front of her.

"Nothing" Carla pulled herself up, steadying herself against the wall she had been sat against. Eric caught her shoulder before she could shut herself off in the bathroom.

"It's not your fault" he told her.

"What do you mean?" Carla asked.

"I mean that you couldn't have done anything to stop what happened, so please stop feeling so damn guilty, it's driving me crazy" Eric told her, and she nodded, with the smallest of smiles, and went into the bathroom to clean herself off.

* * *

When Carla came out, she pulled on one of Eric's T-shirts, which was plain black, and a pair of panties.

She noticed that Eric was laying on the bed, completely still.

Carla laid on the bed too, facing away from Eric this time, she curled up into a loose ball, and held a pillow under her head, forcing her eyes to close.

She sat like this for a few minutes, but her mind would not rest, she opened her eyes and looked at the bedside clock. 4am. It was going to be a long time before anything happened.

She was sweating uncontrollably, and felt like an inferno, even without the covers warming her, the temperature was unbelievable.

Without warning, Eric turned over and laced his arm around Carla's stomach, and dragged her back into him, holding her close to his cold body, his muscles locked up, and she couldn't escape his firm grasp, even if she wanted too.

Eric buried his head into the girls wet hair, and took a deep breath in through his nose.

Carla was surprised by his gesture of kindness, he obviously was trying to make her feel safe, and it was working. Her muscles relaxed and melted into him, his temperature was cooling, and made her feel less like a fire storm and more of a soothing breeze on a mild day.

Her heart beat lessened, and she felt her consciousness fall away from her.

* * *

**How did you like that?**  
**Do you want more?  
****Please leave a review and tell me! Also tell me what you thought of the chapter and the fic in general!  
****Thank you for sparing your time to ready my fanfic, and i hope you guys don't hate me for what i am going to do wtih Godric. I am sorry but it is the way i feel about his character and the way he acts.  
****Thanks for all of your support, and the next chapter will be coming to the end of the time in Dallas, see you then!**

**-Shad out**


	17. Loss

**Welcome back, i hope you enjoy! Quick note to say that if you deem this chapter too mature for a rating of T, please PM me, or leave me and review and tell me your thoughts, i would like to know your opinions as i do not wish to get reported, and i believe this chapter, though there is a warning, is suitible for a T rating, if you do not agree, please tell me.**

**!Warning: Mature content ahead!  
if you do not wish to read, this chapter can be summed up by simply saying that Godric still commits suicide, Carla stands with him up on the roof in his final moments. Carla also comforts Eric afterwards. You can guess how she does it. I'm not telling you how, that defeats the point! **:P

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter seventeen - Loss

* * *

"Do you have any fucking idea of the PR mess you've made?" Nan Flanagan asked the group of them.

Bill, Carla, Sookie, Eric, Godric and Isabel had all been grabbed before Nan for the events of the last few days. Godric and Isabel sat next to one another, as well as Bill and Sookie, Carla perched on the end of the same sofa, next to Eric.

"And who has to clean that shit up? Me, not you, me. I should drain everyone of you bastards" Carla rolled her eyes at the vampire woman, she really was taking things a bit to far, Carla could feel Eric's muscles stiffening next to her.

"Stan went into the church on his own, none of us knew about it" Eric told Nan.

"Really? but everyone that met Stan in the last three hundred years knew he had a kink about slaughtering humans, but not his own nest mates, his sheriff, had no clue?" Nan retorted.

"And how were we supposed to know that this time he meant it?" Isabel asked.

"Not my problem, yours" Nan told Godric.

"Don't talk to him that way" Eric growled at the woman.

"Don't talk to me that way" Nan said back. Eric stiffened even more, Carla laid her hand on the vampire's knee, and he relaxed slightly.

"Let's get to the point, how did they manage to abduct you?" Nan asked Godric.

"They would have taken one of us sooner or later, i offered myself" Godric replied, Carla seemed to be the only one in the room who wasn't surprised by this turn of events.

"Why?" Nan asked.

"Why not?" Godric said back.

"They wanted you to meet the sun, and you were willing?" Nan asked, looking confused.

Carla glanced up at Eric, he looked terrified, his eyes were wide, like a child in a world of titans and terrors.

"What do you think?" Godric asked the woman.

"I think you're out of your mind" There was silence for a moment, Eric gulped noisily next to Carla, leaning forward and resting his hands on his knees. "And then i hear about a traitor?" Nan continued.

"Irrelevant, only a rumor, i'll take full responsibility" Godric said.

"You bet you will" Nan nodded at the man.

"You cold bitch" Eric mumbled to Nan from next to Carla.

"Listen..." Nan said, turning to Eric. "This is a national vampire disaster, and nobody at the top has any sympathy for any of you, sheriff you fucked up, you're fired" Nan told Godric.

"I agree, of course, Isabel should take over, she had no part in my disgrace" Godric offered.

"Godric, fight back" Isabel told him.

"What are you saying, she's a bureaucrat, you don't have to take shit from her!" Eric told Godric.

"Wanna lose your area viking?" Nan asked Eric.

"You don't have that sort of power" Eric told her.

"Hey, i'm on TV, try me" Nan threatened.

"I'm to blame, i should have contained Stan the second Godric went missing" Isabel cut in.

"Isabel" Godric interrupted, nodding at the woman to be quiet. "I remove myself from all positions of authority"

"Works for me" Nan said.

"Ms Flanagan, Godric saved me, and all the humans and vampires in that church, you should be thanking him, this could be so much worse" Sookie butted in.

"For getting kidnapped? For attracting a suicide bomber? For piss poor judgement? I think not" Nan corrected her.

Eric growled, and shot up from is seat, heading for Nan. Carla shot up and grabbed his arm.

"Eric, no" Carla told him, and he looked back at her. "Don't, she's not worth it" Carla told him. Eric sat back down.

"Well won't you look at that, Eric Northman, tamed by a human" Nan mocked.

"Don't push your fucking luck" Carla growled, and Nan raised her eyebrow.

"I could make you disappear" Nan told her.

"And i could tear you to bits" Carla retorted. "Don't tempt me"

"I'd like to see you try" Nan chuckled. Carla stepped forward to silence the hateful vampire, but Godric stood up in front of her.

"Carla..." He said. "It doesn't matter" Godric patted he woman's shoulder, and she turned and went to sit back down next to Eric.

"What a fucking fiasco, you're lucky i don't send you all to the Magister" Nan threatened, Carla clutched Eric's hand with great force, trying to control her anger.

"Godric, come to the suite, and fill out the forms" Nan asked, getting up.

"Soon, first i have something to say, i'm sorry, i apologize for all the harm i have caused, for all our lost ones, human and vampire, i swear i will make amends" Godric told them.

"Take it easy, it's just a few signatures" Nan said, before leaving the room.

Eric and Carla jumped up, Eric going to his maker.

"No" He told Godric.

"Look in my heart" Godric told him.

"You have to listen to me" Eric begged.

"There's nothing to say" Godric said.

"Yes there is!" Eric replied.

"On the roof" Godric said, before leaving for the roof.

Eric followed his maker, and Carla followed him.

Godric was stood in the middle of the roof, with Eric a few steps behind him.

"Two thousand years is enough" Godric explained.

"I can't accept this" Eric told him, his voice wavering. "It's insanity!" Eric swallowed.

"Out existence is insanity" Godric turned to face Eric. "We don't belong here" He told him.

"But we are here!" he yelled back. Carla stayed a few steps away from the two, letting them have their moment.

"It's not right, we're not right" Godric shook his head, turning to Eric.

"You told me there is no right or wrong, only survival, or death" Eric's hands were shaking.

"I told a lie, as it turns out" Godric corrected.

"I will keep you alive by force" Eric said, walking closer to his maker.

"Even if you could, why would you be so cruel?" Godric asked. And Eric cracked.

"Godric, gör inte det" (Godric, don't do it) Eric begged, tears welling at the corners of his eyes.

"Det har varit århundraden av tro och kärlek mellan oss" (There have been centuries of faith and love between us) Godric replied.

"Snälla. Snälla."(Please. Please.) Eric begged, bowing his head and fell to his knees before Godric. "Snälla, Godric" (Please, Godric)

"Fader, broder, son" (Father, Bother, Son) Godric looked down at his progeny. "Let me go" He told the man, who was now sobbing, but he stopped, the tears still on his face.

"I won't let you die alone" Eric told him.

"Yes you will" Godric corrected him. Eric began sobbing again, all of his usual stone cold exterior gone. Godric put his hand on Eric's shoulder, making the man look at him. "As your maker, i command you" He smiled at Eric, and Eric smiled back, but ever so slightly.

Eric then stood up and started walked towards the stairs back into the building. Carla caught his hand before he left.

"I'll stay with him" Carla went on tip toe and planted a kiss on the man's cheek, he nodded at her down at her, and walked down the steps.

"It won't take long" Godric told her, and she walked over to stand beside Godric. "Not at my age"

"I know why you're different" Carla said, smiling at Godric, he glanced at her face.

"Why is that?" Godric asked.

"Because after two thousand years, you've become the very thing you started as, in your mind at least, you are human" Carla said, looking at the Dallas skyline.

"Are you familiar with what our people did after battles?" Godric asked.

"I am not, i think that the druids you knew were completely different to the ones i have known" Carla replied.

"After a battle, the dead would be gathered up and a platform made out of wood, the bodies would be burned, and as the fire consumed them, their essence would be absorbed by the other druids, it was quite magical" Godric explained, reminiscing.

"It sounds beautiful" Carla told him, he simply nodded. "Two release your loved ones to the air, to the breeze, to know that wherever the wind blows, they are right beside you"

"Do you think i will be punished?" Godric asked, sounding slightly worried.

"No, you will be forgiven" Carla told him, with a smile, and the sun was just producing rays in the morning sky, and Godric began to steam.

"I don't deserve it" Godric admitted, "But i will hope for it"

"Those who repent shall be forgiven, those who don't shall be damned" Carla told him.

Godric turned to face Carla, and she did the same.

"You will care for him?" He asked.

"Of course" Carla nodded. "As long as he allows me" She smiled.

"Never give up"

The sun began to rise above the horizon, a burning pin prick in the distance. It began to expand, and Carla pulled Godric into a hug, his body bursting into blue flame, but it didn't harm her.

"Good bye, Godric" Carla said into his ear, as his body disintegrated into blue dust and spread over Carla's skin, fading into nothingness.

* * *

Carla walked along the corridor to her room, the room she knew Eric would be in, she opened the door and closed it behind her, not sure whether she should turn around.

Eventually she did, Eric was facing away from her, sitting on the bed, hunched over, she could hear his sobbing sounds from this side of the room.

Carla walked slowly over to him, and sat beside him.

"Godric is gone" He spluttered. Carla nodded at him, she pulled him towards her, hugging him. She rubbed his back, Eric's bloody tears dripped onto Carla's shoulder.

Carla pulled away from him, leaving her hand on the man's shoulder to show her support.

"I am sorry, i know how it feels to lose someone so close to your heart" Carla smiled sadly at him, and he looked up at her questioningly.

"I have lost many of those i held close to my heart" Carla told him, sighing and trying to blink back tears.

Carla went to pull herself up off the bed, but Eric's hand on her knee stopped her, he put his hand on the side of her face, stroking her skin sensually.

Eric edged his face closer and closer to her, and she didn't move away, unsure of whether to abandon him, specially when he was in his time of greatest need.

Eric pressed his lips against Carla's, letting his hands run down to her neck, and pulling her body closer to his.

She didn't fight it, she couldn't fight it, she wouldn't fight it.

Their mouths moved in sync, and Eric pulled her ever closer to him, letting his hands wandering down to her waist.

Carla pulled her face back for a moment, taking a breath. "This is the road to ruin" she told him, finding it hard to stop staring at his lips.

"Then let's walk it together" Eric told her, pulling her on top of him.

His hands ran down her back, pulling the vest she was wearing off of her, and undoing her belt, all while kissing her.

Carla pulled back to take a breath, and tore his shirt in two, making him gasp, she grabbed his belt and undid in in moments with skillful hands.

Eric unclipped her bra, yanking it off and dropping it to the floor, and both pulled off their trousers, discarding them without a moments consideration.

Eric rolled her over so he was on top, and in control, by now Carla was panting and shivering with anticipation.

He began grinding against her, getting her worked up, and making her crazy.

They molded together perfectly, her lost in a haze of lust, underneath his pale, cold body that was moving against her, pushing her to the edge, and threatening to throw her over.

And him, fitted perfectly inside her, using his energy to take his mind off of the pain, and working himself closer and closer to the climax.

Eric leaned over her, moving his face closer and closer to her throat, he stroked the side of is face up her neck, smelling her skin, her essence. Eric's fangs sprung forth, and he dragged them lightly down her throat, and she whimpered quietly, panting uncontrollably.

Carla leaned her head back, accepting it. Eric bit down on her throat, letting the blood come forth, he sucked it from her, continuing to thrust into her.

Eric pulled his lips away from her throat, only to pull her into a sitting position, and start and bounce her off his hips, Carla looped her arms around the vampires neck, hanging on for dear life.

The marks of her people began to show all over he body, glowing with a golden intense light, her control over their concealment completely gone.

She arched her back and threw her head back, being propelled over the edge at lightning speed, Eric followed, and she fell forward onto his body, sweating and exhausted, dragging the vital oxygen back into her body.

They both lay there, limp and glossy in the sheets, side by side.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, wow! I hope you enjoyed that! It was a little nerve raking to write, considing it is my first sex scene, but please tell me what you thought! I can't wait to hear from your guys about what you think and i hope you stick around for the next chapter! Thanks for all the support guys, you're all great!  
Plus, i know there may well be some spelling mistakes, if there are any that are bothering you in any specific chapter, please PM me and i will correct them when i get time, thank you :)**

**As mentioned above, please tell me if you think this story should be made M instead of T due to this chapter.**

**Until next time,**

**-Shad out**


	18. A Bad Homecoming

**Welcome back! Good to see you back and i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter eighteen - A Bad Homecoming

* * *

Upon arriving back in Bon Temps, it was very obvious that something wasn't quite right.

The driver of the taxi had hit two of the residents of the town, and they didn't even seem to notice, they simply got back up and ran off, laughing, their eyes were completely black, and they were babbling about finding 'Sam'.

That night the taxi driver unloaded Bill's coffin at his house, Jason, Carla and Sookie had all come in the same Taxi, so they were also at the house.

"Hey, just to let you know that two people got hit by a car today, but they just ran off, and what the hell happened to this town, we been taken over my aliens or something?" Jason said into his phone, talking to the sheriffs office.

Carla was sat in the lounge, looking down into the grate.

Her encounter with Eric the previous night had been amazing, and she couldn't keep her mind off of it, it just buzzed around her skull constantly, she barely had time to think about what was going on with Bon Temps.

"Bill! There is something seriously wrong going on in Bon Temps, i can feel it" Sookie explained, talking to loud that Carla could hear her from the other room.

Carla shut her eyes, and tried to cut out the voices, she wanted to be alone, in the quiet, so she could think straight and work out how she was feeling right now.

"Does she ever calm down?!" Bill shouted, surprised. Carla sighed.

"Playing Wii gets her to focus, but i wouldn't exactly call it calm" Hoyt's voice said from behind her. Carla stood up and turned around, watching the group of people make Maxine, Hoyt's mother, play Wii, while they watched, and talked about what they were going to do.

"So she says God is coming?" Bill questioned.

"They say that they're gonna get Sam and take him over to Maryann's and sacrifice him to the god who comes or something" Hoyt explained, looking very confused.

"Maryann's? Where's that?" Sookie asked.

"Well, umm, it's your house" Hoyt told her.

"What?!" Sookie blinked.

"They're gonna rip that boy open and serve him up like barbecue!" Maxine laughed, still playing Wii.

"Has anyone been attack by something with claws?" Sookie asked.

"Well i heard Arlene say that the woman you found in the back of Andy's car had her back scratched up real bad" Hoyt said. "Then i heard someone else say that Daphne had some weird scar on her back"

"The new waitress at Merlotte's?" Sookie asked, Hoyt nodded.

"Yeah, she got killed too, found with her heart cut out" Hoyt told them.

Carla walked towards the door.

"Carla?" Carla stopped, and turned around to looked at Sookie.

"What?" She asked.

"Where are you going?" Sookie questioned.

"I'm going to the house, i want to find out what the hell is going on, and i think that Maryann is probably the person to ask" Carla explained.

"And i'm going to Merlotte's to find out what the hell is going on in my town" Jason added, walking towards the door.

"Carla, whatever that is it could be thing that got you before, and you know how dangerous it is, you nor Jason should be going any where near it" Bill said.

"I'm not standing around and doing nothing while my town is taken over by some crazy bitch!" Jason complained.

"Jason, this would be one of those times to use your head" Sookie told him.

"Oh i am, this is the war i have been training for" Jason assured himself.

"Jason-" Sookie started to speak.

"He can look after himself" Bill cut in. "We've seen that" Sookie hugged her brother and told him to be safe, Jason promised to be, and he left.

"And where's Tara?" Sookie asked Hoyt.

"I'm pretty sure she is the link between all of this with Maryann and your place Sookie, didn't you tell Tara to house sit for you while we were away" Carla cut in before Hoyt could speak.

"We've gotta get over there" Sookie said.

"Like I've been saying...!" Carla said, walking out of the door, followed by the vampire and his lover.

* * *

Sookie pulled up outside her house, and in front of a huge structure made of wood and covered in flowers, bones and meat of all sorts. All three of them got out of the car, and looked up at it, walking forward for a better look.

"What in god's name?" Bill said, walking towards the thing. Carla strode right past, and into the hallway of the house.

"Tara?!" Carla called, looking around the corner into the lounge and dining room. The house was covered in moss, sticks and plants of all kinds, as if the structure had been left for years and the plants hand reclaimed it.

Sookie and Bill walked into the house, and started looking around, Sookie joined in calling for Tara with Carla.

Sookie's phone began to ring, and she picked it up.

"Lafayette? Where's Tara?" She said into the receiver.

Carla was caught by an idol on the end of the banister, being in such a position in the room made it obvious it was important in some way.

"I'm here in what used to be my living room" Sookie continued. Carla walked through into the living room, and a bull head mask caught her eye, Carla recognized it, it looked exactly like the head of the beast that attacked her and Sookie in the woods.

"I'll be right there" Sookie closed her phone. "Come on!" Sookie ran for the door, but stopped dead in her tracks in the hallway.

The woman Carla assumed was Maryann was standing in front of Sookie.

"What are you doing in my house?" She asked Sookie.

"This is not your house" Sookie growled at her.

"It is now" The woman had a maniacal grin on her face, and she walked towards Sookie, and they all backed off.

Carla pulled Sookie behind her and grabbed Maryann, throwing her to the floor in the lounge.

Bill ran past her and flung the woman to the ground, biting her neck in and effort to drain and kill her. But he started throwing up, coughing up foam and her black blood.

Maryann laughed at the situation, and Carla ran to pull Bill away from her. Sookie came back to help her take him to the car, and Maryann simply stood and watched them leave, laughing to herself.

* * *

Sookie and Bill were sat in the front seats, and Carla in the back, Sookie was driving like a maniac down the main street of Bon Temps, towards Lafayette's house.

Bill was throwing up foam and black blood out of the car window, retching uncontrollably.

"We need to get you to Eric" Sookie told him, sounding worried. "Dr Ludwig can treat you" She added.

"I am not going to Eric for help" Bill growled, spitting the last of the blood out. "Give me your arm so i can heal" Bill took Sookie's arm and bit into her wrist.

"Where are we going?" Carla asked.

"Lafayette has Tara and his place, we need to make sure she is okay" Sookie explained.

"Does anyone know what that thing might be?"

"Not at all, but if Tara has been under Maryann's influence, she could be of some help to us" Bill said, and Sookie shrugged. Bill pulled away from Sookie and sat up straight in the chair, fully healed.

* * *

Upon arriving at Lafayette's house, Bill was first up the steps, followed by Sookie and Carla, a girl that Carla had never seen before ran past them on their way up to the house, she looked terrified, Bill had his fangs drawn and was staring at Lafayette intimidatingly.

"... talk to your boy Eric, he got me pushing the shit!" Lafayette told Bill, his hands up defensively to protect himself.

"What's that?" Carla asked, looking at Lafayette.

"Nothin' aight" Lafayette looked nervous.

"Where is she?" Sookie asked, Lafayette pointed into the house, and Sookie entered, Carla close behind.

"Tara?" Sookie asked, looking down at the woman, who had large black eyes. "What happened to you?" She asked.

"Get me out of here you stupid cunt! Or i will kill you" Tara snapped back.

"We're losing her Sook" Lafayette said, sitting down on the couch.

Carla moved next to Sookie, as she crouched in front of the woman, touching her as to use her powers more effectively.

"It's all dark, nothin'" Sookie said, stepping back.

"You see inside her brain?" A woman asked, who looked like Tara's mother, as their features were similar.

"Stop trying to rape my brain!" Tara complained at Sookie.

"I can't see or hear anything, it's not her, she's gone" Sookie explained, looking completely confused.

"Don't say that Sook, she's in there, keep trying!" Lafayette told her.

"I know, but what am i supposed to do!" Sookie complained.

"Sookie, listen, try again, i will bounce the power back at you, but you have to be ready this time" Carla told her.

"You know what happened last time, you really think that's a good idea?!" Sookie asked.

"I don't think anyone else in this room has an idea at this point, and this time, if you're ready for it, you could probably use the power i bounce back at you to make yourself stronger" Carla explained, offering her hand to Sookie.

Sookie crouched down again, clutching the woman's legs with one hand, and her other hand in Carla's.

After a few moments, Sookie shook her head, and opened her eyes.

"There's something i can't cross, an abyss" Sookie explained, shaking her head.

"I will glamour her" Bill said, stepping forward.

"What?!" Tara's mother said, alarmed.

"It may help" Bill explained, trying to calm them.

"I don't wanna hurt her" Sookie said, a little worried.

"If we leave her like this who knows what harm might come to her... or us" Bill explained, looking worried for all of them.

Sookie stepped behind the girl, and Carla on the side, Bill did his thing, glamouring Tara and getting her under his influence.

"I may be able to reflect your power back at you too Bill, but i am not sure, i have only ever done it with Sookie" Carla said, but Bill shook his head.

"Only as a last resort, i haven't had the experience that Sookie has" Bill replied.

Sookie held onto Tara's shoulders, closing her eyes and concentrating. Carla took Sookie's hand, closing her eyes for concentration too. Lafayette held Tara's mother's hand for support, not wanting her to interfere.

Bill yelled at Tara, tell her to let Sookie in, and repeated it, telling her she was safe, and that she needed to let Sookie in.

They were getting no where, and it was obvious to Carla. Carla grabbed Bill's arm, and the feeling was almost over whelming, it was like gallons of water rushing over her and sweeping her under, restricting her breathing, but she took deep and controlled breaths, and Tara began to respond. The black emptiness in her eyes receded into her normal pupils. She sat there, panting for a few moments.

Bill let her go, taking deep breaths into his dead lungs. Tara blinked a few times, and then turned around to face Sookie, fear all over her face. Carla let go of Bill and Sookie, standing up, Bill was still a little shaky, so took a moment to rest.

Tara glanced around the room, wondering if it was all real. "Oh my god" She said, gasping. "I'm crazy" She admitted, turning to Sookie who held her close. Tara began to cry, and Sookie simply shook her head.

"No... No, it wasn't you, because that's not you" Sookie said. Tara turned and saw her mother, going to hug her and apologize.

Sookie began to cry, and Carla squeezed her arm, giving her a supportive smile.

"I need some air" Sookie said, and Carla nodded in agreement, Bill also, and they filed out of the house.

Carla stood at the edge of the garden, just close enough to hear, and far enough away to hide her fangs. Her body was starting to become dependent on the vampire blood for fuel when she was running low or doing stressful work for her powers. The more she used the vampire blood, the more she looked like Eric, taking on his form as it was the most powerful that she could use. Her body was now starting to use it as the default. As Carla stood out of cover so that her body could cool down, and she could revert back to normal, she noticed that she felt less like Eric than the time she became him, different, more controlled and calm, she felt like another vampire, much stronger, much faster, much older. Carla tried to think how this would be so.

"I've known Tara all my life, and every trace of her was gone, replaced, now i thought only vampires could hypnotize people" Sookie said to Bill.

"No offence Sookie, but humans are shockingly susceptible to about every form of thought manipulation" Bill explained.

"It's all coming from Maryann, all of it" Sookie said, sure of herself. "They eat peoples hearts, but she wants more, she wants their souls, and that chant-"

"What chant?" Bill asked, cutting Sookie off.

"Lo- lo Bromios, Lo -lo Dendrites, Lo -lo Eleutherios, Lo -lo Enorches-"

"Bacchus" Bill cut her off, as if he remembered it.

"Bill? I've seen that look on your face before and, i don't like it" Sookie said.

"He knows what it is" Carla said, turning around. "Do enlighten us, Bill"

"I read about some ancient creatures years ago, but i always assumed it was just a myth" Bill explained, wandering around in deep thought, he glanced at Carla, then back to Sookie. "But i believe Maryann might be one"

"What is she?" Sookie and Carla asked at the same time. "And more importantly, how do you kill her?" Carla continued.

"I do not know how to defeat her, but i know one vampire who might, Might! If i am to make it by day light i must leave now" Bill explained.

"Let's go" Sookie said, stepping towards Bill.

"Sookie, i must do this alone" Bill explained, looking forlorn. "But i will be back by morning, and Jason, Sam, Tara and Lafayette, you can do more good for them here" Bill explained, trying to justify leaving Sookie.

"Are you going to Eric?" Carla asked.

"I will not go to Eric" Bill retorted, angry at the mention of the thousand year old vampire's name.

"Then i will" Carla said, beginning to turn away.

"Wait!" Sookie said, walking over to Carla. "Don't go to Eric, you know how he is, he will simply be waiting for one of us to come to him and owe him a favor, you and i both know that he will not help us without requiring payment back, and that will probably be through using me to strike a bargain" Sookie explained, more intelligent than she acted most of the time.

"Sookie, we're at our last straw here, none of us know how to kill her, and if Bill's contact comes up short we will be turning to Eric anyway, he is the oldest vampire in this area, he must know himself or know someone that may be able to help" Carla said back. "I will not bargain with your safety, life or skill, you know i am not like this, just trust me Sookie" Carla continued before the girl could talk.

"Bill, i will call you if Eric has anything to offer, and you must call me if you find anything on your travels also, if Bill comes back before i do, i can leave Eric and come back here to help" Carla explained, and Bill nodded.

"It's called a Maenad" Bill said. "At least that is what i think she is" Carla nodded.

"I better go, if i can ask Eric tonight, it will save time" Carla explained. Sookie still looked worried.

"Trust me" Carla said, smiling at Sookie. Before turning away from the waitress and morphing into a cheetah, running off into the woods towards Shreveport.

* * *

Carla arrived as the bar was closing, Pam was outside the front locking up.

"Is Eric still here?" Carla asked, appearing from the top of the building, she had ran along the roof tops when she had reached the more urban areas to avoid being seen.

Pam jumped and unsheathed her fangs. "Do not sneak up on me like that" Pam told her, Carla shrugged.

"Eric?" Carla asked again.

"Inside" Pam said, hiding her fangs again and assuming her normal bored temperament. "He's broody, don't piss him off" She warned, Carla rolled her eyes and walked inside, going straight to his office.

She found him staring into space in his office, sat behind his desk, when she entered the room, she used his vamp speed to get up, he would have come towards her and removed the space between them, but Carla raised her hand, telling him to stop.

"Listen, what happened in Dallas, never happened, whatever you were just planning on doing, never existed, i need to ask for your help, nothing more, nothing less, nothing happened between us, you're still as selfish and conniving, and i am still as i was" Carla explained, a serious look on her face, she had decided to go back to the way things were before the incident in Dallas.

Carla chose to go with her mind, instead of her heart, which told her that Eric was a tornado, and anything nearby got destroyed, unless you fought to the eye, it would be a never ending struggle. Carla did not feel she could ever feel that way about someone who was so obviously obsessed with everything supernatural and different.

Eric opened his mouth to talk, his eyes were big and his posture, for once, was not dominant and assertive, but more soft and submissive.

"No" He said simply, shaking his head down at Carla. "I need to go to ground in half an hour, we can speak about this tomorrow, until then, just know that this is not an option" Carla rolled her eyes.

"And where am i supposed to sleep?" Carla asked.

"Sleep in the bar, Ginger with be here in the morning, i will leave her a note to make you food" Eric explained, grabbing his jacket from the back of his desk chair.

"Where will you be?" Carla continued.

"Oh? Do you care now?" Eric asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carla gritted her teeth, but chose not to reply.

Eric closed the space between them, faster than the blink of an eye, pressing Carla up against the open door of his office.

Carla's eyes were wide with uncertainty.

Eric cupped the woman's chin, angling it up so she looked at him.

"You do care" Eric told her, smiling, before leaving the bar at vampire speed.

Carla sighed, looking down at the ground.

She did care.

* * *

**Please leave a review and tell me what you thought! I really like this exchange between Eric and Carla now, him with his softer side coming out, and she just can't resist! ;) **

**Thanks for reading, i hope to see you back in the next chapter! Thanks for all the support you guys are giving me in the form of reviews, follows and favorites!**

**Until next time,  
-Shad out**


	19. One Dead Maenad

**Welcome back! Hope you enjoy! This is the season two finale, so the next chapter will be season three!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter nineteen - One Dead Maenad

* * *

Carla slept for three hours on one of the couches in the club, before she heard the front door open, and more than one set of feet walk in.

Carla sat up on the seat and saw Ginger walk in first before Sam and Arlene's kids, who she had met when Sookie had babysat them about a month ago.

"Carla?!" Sam said, striding over to her, he enveloped her in a hug that was a little too friendly considering Carla had left without a word to Sam. "I didn't now you were still around, after you left i assumed that you'd moved on" Sam explained, sitting down on one of the couches with the kids.

"No, Sam, i kinda got caught up in this vampire stuff, but i'm here to ask for Eric's help about the maenad in Bon Temps" Carla explained. "I am so sorry that i didn't tell you about leaving, it was just all so fast, one minute i was coming to work and then that night i was out with Sookie and Bill and i was attacked and then i owed Eric for finding someone who could treat me fast enough and... oh, i'm babbling" Carla said, going red in the face, trying not to lose her job.

"Well, it's fine Carla, considering all that's been happening there hasn't been much work on to miss, so it's fine, and i'm here for the same reason as you, but you said you were attacked?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, well me and Sookie both were, but i managed to shield her just in time" Carla told him.

"Do you know who or what it was?"

"Well at this point i am pretty sure it was Maryann" Carla shrugged.

For the rest of the day, Carla sat with Sam and the kids, making sure they were entertained. Sam explained what she had missed in the town over the time she was in Dallas, while she made food for them all, clearing it away before Eric and Pam arrived to open the bar at night fall.

* * *

Pam was the first to arrive at the bar, and simply ignored them and made the place ready for opening, which didn't take long with her vampire speed.

Eric arrived later when the bar was open for an hour or so, noticing Carla sat with the shifter and two children straight away.

He came over and sat down opposite the four of them, Carla got up, going to stand behind him.

Sam explained why they were here, about Maryann and the trails and tribulations of the last few days.

"Why should i help you, _shifter?_" Eric asked, saying the last word with disgust.

"Because i need your help, we need it, and hopefully some day we might be able to give you something you need" Sam explained.

"I cannot think of anything that i need a tribute that you could supply" Eric said, shrugging off the request.

"I'm not here to give you tribute, Eric" Sam said firmly.

"No, you're here to request my help based on a hypothetical future in which you return the favour" Eric bit back, and Carla rolled her eyes. "But you are known to not be friendly to those like me, why should i trust you?"

"Because before somebody starts trusting somebody we're all single targets, just tripe for the picking" Sam said.

"I have no knowledge of this maenad creature, though i expect it is the bull-headed creature that passed through here recently, right Pam?"

"That think owes me a pair of shoes" Pam added in.

"So can you help us or not?" Sam asked.

"I do know someone that may be able to offer something useful, might... be able to" Eric told him.

"Can we see your fangs?" Coby asked, one of Arlene's children.

Eric did so, and Coby looked intrigued, Lisa was more nervous.

"Don't you like vampires little girl?" Eric asked her. Carla glared at him.

"Eric!" Sam warned him, Eric glanced across at the shifter.

"Our almost step-daddy hated vampires, but we don't" Lisa explained.

"He went on a vacation with Jesus" Coby added, and Eric withdrew his fangs.

"Eric, will you help us or not?" Sam demanded.

"For what in return? There is nothing you can offer me" Eric replied.

"Eric, gör detta för mig" (Eric, do this for me) Carla said, and Eric looked up at her, glancing up and down her body.

He chuckled and nodded.

"Very well, i will go and visit her tonight, i must leave right away" Eric said, Sam got up from his seat.

"Great, no problem" Sam walked towards the door.

"I'll walk you out" Eric added, getting up himself, turning to Carla. "Du följer med mig" (You're coming with me) Eric told her, and she sighed, following him out of the bar.

When they got out into the parking lot, Sam opened his car door, ready to leave. "You've got my cell phone number" Sam told Eric.

"I'll tell you if i learn anything of use to you" Eric assured him, lifting up Carla.

"Good bye Sam, stay safe" Carla smiled at him, and he nodded back.

Eric then took off without hesitation.

* * *

Upon arriving at a large grand house, Eric put Carla back down onto her feet, and strode up towards the main door. Halfway across the path up to the mansion, which was platforms suspended over water, Bill met them halfway, and he looked up at Eric, ready to start a fight.

"What are you doing here?" Bill asked.

"Hoping the queen knows how to kick a maenad's ass" Eric said.

"And why would you do that? So you look like a hero to Sookie?" Bill asked.

Carla interrupted them with a well timed cough.

Eric nodded at Bill, a way of saying good bye, and walked into the building, with Carla following behind.

"Eric!" A woman dressed in a white gown that left nothing to the imagination came running over to him. Her hair was ginger and curley, combed back out of her face, with matching crimson lipstick.

"My queen" Eric nodded to her as a greeting.

"Oh, and who is this?" the queen turned her attentions to Carla. "She looks delicious" the queen glanced down at Carla's throat, where Eric had bitten her. "She is yours a presume?" she asked Eric.

"Yes, she is mine, Sophie-Ann, this is Carla, Carla, Sophie-Ann" Eric looked down at Carla, and she glared back at him. This was not in the agreement.

"It's nice to meet you your highness" Carla greeted the woman never the less.

"What a shame, she smells fantastic" The queen took a long smell of her throat up close. Carla felt very uncomfortable, and conveyed it to Eric by staring at him flatly.

"Anyway, please join us for a game of Yahtzee! Unfortunately your pet will not be able to join in, we only have one spare pace left by Mr Compton" Sophie-Ann explained, leading them over to the table, Eric sat down on the ground, crossing his legs, and Carla sat behind him, patiently waiting for him to ask about what they were here for.

Eric rolled his first pot of dice, and grunted at the result, it must have been bad.

"How long does this game go on for?" He asked, after he had a few turns of bad luck.

"We play to five million" Sophie-Ann told him, and Carla could feel his boredom radiating towards her.

"She's way ahead" A human girl that sat next to Eric said, looking somber. Carla noticed she had the same hair color as Sookie, and looked very similar to the waitress.

"It's pure luck" Sophie-Ann said, leaning on the table, closer to Eric than Carla would have liked.

"Yahtzee is the most egalitarian game in the world, you could be my social, physical or intellectual inferior" The queen pointed at the members around the table as she gave the examples. "But your chances are equal to mine, it's the perfect antidote for this world, where things such as superiority and inferiority do matter" Sophie-Ann explained. "Oh, um, speaking of which, i heard about your maker, that blows"

Eric stiffened, but he hid his emotions behind an impassive face. "Thank you" He said, his voice as calm as his face. "Your majesty is very kind-"

"Yahtzee!" The queen screamed, cutting off Eric.

"That's six in a row!" the girl exclaimed.

"It is magic!" The other player complained, who had vampire bites all over his neck.

"I do not cheat!" The queen slammed her hands down on the table, like a child who didn't get what she wanted. "What would be the point?" She said, dangerously passive aggressive. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Sophie-Ann turned back towards Eric.

"I was just saying thank you, your majesty's very kind..." Eric tried again.

"Oh yes! now i remember!" The queen cut him off again in mid sentence. "Do you know that there is a maenad in Renard Parish?" The queen asked Eric.

"Yes, that is the reason i came to see you your majesty" Eric explained, finally getting to the point.

"I wouldn't get involved if i were you, stick to what you're good at" The queen picked up the pot again, shaking the dice inside it. "I gave William Compton and few bits of hand-me-down folklore we've accumulated over the centuries, but who knows if it's gospel or gorilla shit?" The queen wrote down her score in her note book. "You know i think he's monogamous with his human?" Sophie-Ann said, looking disgusted by this revaluation.

"He is in love with her, yes" Eric replied, sounding less and less interested by the second.

"He is?" the human girl asked, and the queen glared at her to make her be silent.

"Well, of course he would be, with her, you probably are too" Sophie-Ann said, watching his reaction.

"I do not love humans" Eric replied, after a moment of thought. Carla couldn't tell if he was serious or it was an act.

"She's not entirely human, have you tasted her?" the queen asked Eric.

"Sadly, no" Eric started to look as if he was finding the situation more and more awkward as they spoke about Sookie.

"Don't. Ever." Sophie-Ann told him. "One vampire falling in love is enough"

"Yes, Bill Compton certainly has a knack for finding trouble" Eric replied.

"Hmm, for instance, how does he know that i am having you sell vampire blood?" Sophie-Ann asked him. Carla sighed inwardly. "The guards hear everything"

This was what Lafayette and Bill were talking about earlier. This could cause a lot of trouble if the Magister found out.

"Your majesty, i'm sorry, there's no way he could..."

"That, is really bad" The queen stiffened, and Carla could tell what was going to happen next.

"He does not know you are supplying it" Eric informed her.

The queen drew her fangs and jumped on Eric, forcing him onto his back, Carla got onto her hands an knees ready to protect him, but he glanced at her with a fierce gaze, telling her not to act. She obeyed.

"He'd better not" The queen growled. "I'm holding you responsible" Sophie-Ann let her hands wander all over Eric, and Carla was so close to staking her. The queen kissed Eric, and he pulled her away slightly, his fang being produced from his gum line.

"There they are" The queen said, stroking the bottom of Eric's lip. "Aren't your's lovely" She commented, Eric held her shoulders with a lot of force, keeping her at a maintained distance.

Sophie-Ann grabbed Eric's face with her hand in a controlling gesture.

"You may be, the strongest, oldest vampire in my queendom, but if i wanted, i could have your fangs as earrings... understand?" The queen threatened.

"I will take care of Bill Compton" Eric promised. "Personally"

The male human at the table coughed, interrupting the two. "Your turn to make Yahtzee" He told the queen, and she got up off Eric.

Eric took a moment to rest, retracting his fangs, he looked at Carla, who stared right back at him, more angry than shocked.

Eric got up and apologized to the queen, telling her he had other things to attend to, specifically, the matter concerning Bill Compton, and she excused him.

Carla followed him out, and without a word, Eric flew her back to Fangtasia.

* * *

Once Eric touched down outside the bar, Carla looked him straight in the eye.

"You know for a thousand years old, you're awful stupid" Carla told him, and Eric simple stared at her. "And what exactly did you mean by 'take care' of Bill?" Eric looked stressed.

"I will need you not to tell Sookie about any of this, more importantly about Bill, remember our agreement" Eric told her, brushing back his hair from his face that had been thrown there while he was flying.

"You need me not to? How do you think that is possible? I live with her for god's sake, i am as transparent as a window, she's a mind reader, face it Eric, we were fucked as soon as the Queen mentioned Bill" Carla said back, her voice escalating.

"She won't listen in on you unless you act suspiciously, remain calm and act normal, wait for all of this to blow over" Eric seemed to be grasping at straws.

"I will not tell her, but if she finds out, it's not my fault" Carla decided not to tell Sookie for the minute, considering Eric was very unlikely to kill a vampire in his area.

Carla's phone began to ring, and she picked it up almost immediately, it was Bill, as it turned out.

"Yes, Bill?" Carla answered.

"I have a plan to kill the maenad, but you have to help us, come to Sam Merlotte's trailer and we can talk" Bill replied.

"Sam's trailer? Where's Sookie?" Carla asked, wondering why they were not at Bill's house.

"I will update you when you get here, you must hurry" Bill said.

"Okay, i'll be there right away" Carla put the phone down. "I need to go" Carla told Eric, who had a strange and rare emotion on his face, worry. Carla couldn't tell if it was worry for her, or worry for his own behind.

Eric suddenly pulled Carla towards him, wrapping his long muscular arms around her mid section.

Carla was shocked, and simply let her hands rest on the vampire's shoulders, resting the side of her face against his shoulder.

Carla felt the slightest message pass through Eric's head, his thoughts had become blurry, but now they were so close it was clear. "Be careful"

Carla planted a small kiss on the vampire's cheek, and made him release her, she morphed and jumped on the roof of the club, running back towards Bon Temps.

* * *

When Carla arrived at the trailer, Bill and Sam were standing outside in the dirt parking lot, both had their arms crossed and looked solemn.

Carla halted in front of them two, morphing back into her human form.

"What's the plan?" Carla asked, glancing between the two of them.

Both of them looked worried and stressed.

"Listen, according to the queen, who you have had the pleasure of meeting, the only way to kill a maenad is to make her believe that she has summoned forth the divine, and or that to happen, she needs to perfect vessel, any supernatural that straddles the two worlds with a beating heart" Bill explained.

"Like who?" Carla asked.

Bill looked at Sam.

"Sam? He's the vessel?" Carla asked.

"Yes, but in order for him to be the vessel, they need his heart" Bill continued.

"So that's why all those women had their hearts cut out" Carla finally threaded the strings together, there was a woman found in the Merlotte's parking lot before Carla left for Dallas, she had scratches down her back and her heart cut out. Daphne also had her heart cut out, the new waitress at Merlotte's, she was found in the freezer.

"Doesn't that mean that he'll die?" Carla asked, as if nether of them had noticed.

"Yes, well, that's why we need a distraction, then hopefully Maryann will be unable to completely the ritual, and Sam will be able to take the form of her 'god with horns' and only then, when she believes that her god has appeared, will she be able to be killed" Bill finished.

"Very well, and how must i distract her?" Carla asked.

"Just run in there, do a lot of yelling, you might have to break some things, anything, just basically piss her off" Sam said, looking nervous.

"Fine, let's get on with it then" Carla replied.

"This is very dangerous, specially for Sam, but it is the only way, Maryann has Sookie, and god knows what she might be doing to her there" Bill told her.

"I understand that, if this wasn't our only option, we wouldn't be attempting it" Carla smiled sadly. "I will do everything in my power to ensure that everyone gets out of this alive"

* * *

Carla sat on the roof of the Stackhouse home, this time in the form of a giant hawk, looking down on the people around Sookie's house, dancing and swaying to the drum beat music.

Carla saw Bill, holding Sam, pulling him towards the house, according to plan.

A few people ran inside the house, no doubt to inform Maryann that Sam was here. The dum music suddenly died down, and in its place, an out of tune 'Here comes the bride' rendition began.

A string of bride's maids in white dresses walked out of the house, these consisted of lots of people from the town, they were all holding either baskets of flowers or statues and relics of Maryann's, including a large egg with blood stains all over it, and a mask of a bull, suspiciously like what Carla had saved Sookie from.

Jason then manhandled Sookie out of the house as well, followed finally by Maryann, wearing a long flowing wedding dress.

She stepped down the porch steps, Andy Bellefleur behind her holding the tails of her dress off the dirt.

"Maenad!" Bill shouted, getting the woman's attention, pulling Sam closer.

"Bill, what the hell are you doing!?" Sookie asked.

"I have your sacrifice!" Bill told Maryann, who smiled madly.

"Oh my sweet vessel!" She replied.

"I offer him in exchange for Sookie" Bill explained.

Sookie started to protest, jumping and pulling in Jason's hold, but he stood firm. "No, she'll kill him!"

"She's not gonna stop with me" Sam spoke up.

"Take her to the dead man, she's served her purpose" Maryann told Jason.

"Bill you can't let her kill Sam!" Sookie protested, Jason pulled Sookie over to Bill, handing her over to him, Bill restrained her.

Eggs grabbed Sam, and Sookie tried to fight Bill's hold.

"No! Get off of me!" Sookie complained.

"This is the only way" Bill told her.

"Get her outta here! I won't have her watch me die" Sam said, now facing Maryann.

"I will always be grateful to you" Maryann told him, touching his face.

"This isn't for you" Sam snarled at her.

"Gentlemen, he's yours" Maryann told her followers, some men threw Sam to the ground the then manhandled him away.

"Get the hell off me!" Sam shouted at them.

Bill and Sookie started talking in hushed voices, but Bill still held her firm.

"Let us call forth our god" Maryann said, raising her hands. Lafayette placed the bull mask on top of the large wooden structure that was still in the drive way.

"God with horns! Worship him bitches!" Lafayette shouted at the hypnotized towns people, and they bowed down.

"Now the sacrificial egg" Maryann told Tara, and she placed it in the center of the idol.

"Hail Dionysus!" Maryann chanted, and the crowd repeated. "Bromios, Dendrites, Eleutherios, Enorches, Bacchus, all these names are yours, our bull horned god, on this occasion of our marriage, this offering symbolizes the rebirth of our god, when he was a child, the jealous titans ripped him to shreds, eating all but his heart, and this last piece, was saved by his sister, palace Athena, who placed it into the womb of his mother so he could be reborn" Maryann turned around to the idol. "Oh great mother, soon you will have the heart that will make your egg grow fertile, and your son, or bull horned god will stand in your place" Maryann finished, and the music started up again.

Sam was brought back out, tied to a wooden stretcher, bound and gagged.

"No! Stop!" Sookie screamed. "No! Sam!"

Sam was propped up against a tree, and Maryann stood in front of him. "Oh at last, at long long last" She said to him. "He is yours my lord"

A long, thick knife was handed to Maryann.

"You're lucky Sam, it's everyone's wish to have their life mean something, so few ever get to realize it" Maryann told him.

The crowd started to get restless, shouting at Maryann to do it.

"Sam! Use your gift!" Sookie shouted, but Bill whispered something in her ear.

Egg brought the knife down into Sam's chest, and he gurgled.

Maryann requested that the blood be brought to her, so Eggs withdrew the knife and gave it to her.

She took the blood from the knife and rubbed it on her neck, proclaiming that Sam was the vessel that would unite her and her god.

Sookie broke free of Bill and ran to Sam.

Carla recognized her chance, she morphed into her wolf form and jumped down from the building, hitting the ground so hard that it shook beneath her feet. She raised her head and howled, before running towards the idol and jumping into it, causing it to tumble to the ground with another ground shaking thud.

Sookie ran towards her, jumping onto the idol and pulling the egg from the center, smashing it on the ground.

Maryann was staring at Carla, looking furious.

The crowd began to stream an wail, the noise slowly escalating.

Maryann looked to be fuming with rage, she turned around to the group of dominated villagers.

"Lord Dionysus, allow me to sacrifice them all for you!" Maryann's image began to tear and shudder, the whole group started screaming and holding their heads, looking to be dying.

Carla jumped onto the woman, causing her to fall on the ground, Carla kept her distance however, knowing that she was completely immune to her attacks, acting simply as the distraction.

Sookie stood beside her brother, who stopped writhing in pain, and instead stood up straight, fine.

Carla morphed back into her human form.

"Stop this!" She screamed at the maenad.

"You brought this upon everyone" The maenad told her, burying her hands in the ground in one swift and powerful movement, when she pulled them back out, they were long talons.

Carla turned and grabbed Sookie, running away from the woman, hoping that Sam and Bill were ready.

Sookie started screaming for Bill, but Carla continued to pull her forward, until the blonde tripped and fell, and Carla fell with her, due to holding her tightly on her shoulder.

Maryann caught up in less than a second, she raised her claw to Carla.

Before she could strike, the sound of a cow came from nearby.

They both looked up to see what it was, as did Maryann, looking both shocked and excited at the same time.

A large white bull plodded out from the shadows, Maryann withdrew her claws, and lowered her arm, approaching the beast.

"My lord?" She gasped. "My husband"

The bull and Maryann met half way and she raised her hand to pet the beast. "I am here my love" She told it.

The bull let the woman pet it, she sounded as if she was about to cry, her eyes watering and her voice breaking. "We're together at last" Maryann smiled.

"Come to me" Maryann said, spreading her arms wide and facing to the sky, her eyes shut.

The bull rammed its horn deep into the woman's chest, tearing right through her.

"My lord?! I am the one to be sacrificed?" Maryann gasped for air, as it was torn from her punctured lungs. "I am the vessel, yes, i am happy to die" The bull continued to tear at the woman, and she groaned in pain. "I am yours!" She proclaimed.

The bull began to withdraw it's horn from the woman's chest, before transforming back into Sam, who pulled the woman's heart out of her chest, and crushed it in his hand.

"Was there no god?" Maryann asked, with her final breath, before she began to whither, but stopped mid way, suspended eternally, she tumbled to the ground. Truly a garish sight to behold.

Sam threw the heart to the ground, looking exhausted, Sookie was shocked.

Carla got up and pulled Sookie to her feet, she automatically ran to Sam, hugging him.

"Sam she killed you!" Sookie said.

"Almost" Sam corrected. Bill came limping out from the trees a few yards away, Carla ran to him and pulled his arm over he shoulder, supporting him as he was limping stiffly.

"Is she gone?" Bill asked.

"I think so" Carla said.

"Is Sam okay? He took more of my blood than i expected" Bill looked paler than usual.

"He's fine" Carla told him. Sookie ran over to Bill, placing her hands on his face to make him look at her. "I promised Sam i would heal him, we had no other way of destroying her" Bill explained to Sookie.

"Shh, i understand" Sookie nodded.

Sam had gone and gotten some of his clothes back on, so he was not completely naked.

"Sam, you were willing to die for us?" Sookie asked.

"We were all hopeful that it wouldn't happen" Carla said.

"But i was ready for it" Sam told them.

Jason and Tara came sneaking over from the house where they had been standing, their eyes were now normal, so Carla assumed that everything was back to normal.

"We got her?" Jason asked. Carla nodded.

Tara came walking over to Sookie, who hugged her.

"Do you remember anything?" Sookie asked. Tara looked traumatized.

"No, it was bad wasn't it" Tara shuddered.

"Bill, get rid of the body, bury it, i don't care where" Sookie demanded. Carla glanced at Bill and shook her head at him.

"I'll do it, Bill needs to rest" Carla decided, Sookie shrugged.

Carla made her way over to the body, slinging it over her shoulder and going to bury it in a recently used grave so that people would not think to look.

Once she was finished, Carla came back to the house, to find Tara's boyfriend, of which she didn't know the name, scrubbing his hands until they were red raw. Tara was stood next to him, her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him.

Carla avoided a conversation with them and instead crept upstairs to sleep, though she found it to be a difficult task, due to the fact that their was broken glass and plants all over the floor, all of her possessions were shattered, though she didn't have much, the little that she did have was now gone.

Carla sighed, and tiptoed over the floor, avoiding the piles of glass, she curled up on her bed, pulling her blanket up over herself, even though it had large gaping holes in it.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the season two finale! Please tell me what you think, leave me a review, thanks so much to all who have already favorited, followed or reviewed, it's good to hear what you all think!**

**The next season is going to introduce some more OC's, lots more Caric and some more surprises, but you'll have to wait and see for yourselves!**

**Here's your double update for the week, sorry there was no weekend update, i am currently on a break, i will be back to making chapters next week, thanks for the support, see you all soon.**

**Until then, **

**-Shad out!**


	20. Turbulence

**Welcome back! Enjoy! Thanks for coming back to read more!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty - Turbulence

* * *

Carla slept for three hours on one of the couches in the club, before she heard the front door open, and more than one set of feet walk in.

The next day Sam decided to open Merlotte's, even after everything, he said that the bar was everyone's, not just his, and they all needed a bit of normality after all that had happened with Maryann.

The day went slowly and despite Merlotte's being open, there were very few people actually in to serve. So Sam allowed Sookie and Carla off early, with Arlene being left to clean up the last tables, as her kids were there anyway.

Carla decided to go and see Eric, to inform him that the maenad was no longer an issue.

Upon her arrival the bar was very lively, as usual, and Carla walked straight in and towards Eric's office.

She heard him speaking to someone inside, but she didn't let that phase her, and she knocked heavily on the door.

The voices became hushed, but Carla could still hear them.

"Vem-" (Who-) Pam's voice asked, but she was interrupted.

"Det är Carla, kommer vi pratar senare, ta henne och visa henne att hennes pol" (It's Carla, we will speak later, take her and show her to her pole) Eric's grumbling voice said with authority and warning.

"skön" (Fine) Pam's default bored voice said, as she back chatted.

The door was suddenly opened, not by Pam though, instead it was opened by Eric, who looked down at Carla with a strange happiness about him, it danced in his eyes and at the edges of his pale lips.

Pam pushed past him, holding the arm of a pretty woman, though she was very skimpily dressed, pulling her out of the office behind her.

"Who was that?" Carla asked, her hand on the door frame leaning against it, looking up at Eric.

"None of your concern" Eric informed her.

Carla scowled at him.

"What are you doing here?" Eric asked.

"I'm here to tell you that the maenad has been dealt with, just in case you hadn't heard" Carla stood up straight and crossed her arms tight across her chest.

"Good work, anything else?" Eric seemed very dispondant, Carla wondered why.

"What is wrong with you? You've been off for a long time now, ever since that night in Dallas, you swing from one extreme to the other" Carla studied the viking's face, looking for any hint of emotion. There was none.

"There is nothing wrong, and if there was, it would be none of your concern" Eric snapped back, turning around and slamming the door.

Carla caught it before it closed, and strode after him.

"I am making it my concern, Eric, just fucking feel something, you're allowed" Carla begged.

Eric swiveled on his heel and got up in Carla's face with his amazing speed. His fangs were unsheathed.

"You do not understand, and you will never understand, i am not Bill Compton, i do not feel, i just fuck, feed and kill" Eric growled intimidatingly in her face.

Carla simply placed her lips against the vampire's, walking him back to the wall, so he could not escape, he responded, grabbing the material of her shirt on her shoulder, piecing her bottom lip with one of his fangs by accident.

She pulled away slowly and hesitantly.

"Do you still not feel anything?" Carla asked him, her eyes wide and focused on his own, unsure and nervous ones, which it may have been the first time in over a century he had felt these feelings.

Though his eyes returned to their same distant look as he had a few moments ago.

"Can you not accept that you are just like the rest?" Eric muttered down at her, his eyes looked as if they were shattering in their sockets, his emotions shone in his shaky gaze.

Carla stepped back, backing away from the vampire, who was still slightly stooped over, following her with his gaze.

She said nothing, she just turned and walked out of the office, and out of the club, if she was going to show emotion, whether he could feel her or not, she would not show it in front of him.

She walked a few blocks down the road before sitting down on the curb. She knotted her hand into a fist, slamming it into the tarmac of the road, her knuckles stung, but she ignored it, the emotional pain was much worse.

Served her right, she thought, getting close to a vampire.

She let her hand contact with the pavement a few more times before she leaned back on her hands, looking up at the completely black night sky.

Her phone sprung to life, informing her she had a call.

"Carla?! Are you there? Listen, Bill's been kidnapped, where are you? Are you at home? Have you seen him?" Sookie squawked down the phone, Carla took a deep breath, pushing back her tears.

"Yeah, i'm in Shreveport, and no, i haven't seen Bill" Carla managed to not show her emotions.

"Shreveport? I'm coming to Fangtasia, if anyone has Bill, it's Eric, i'll meet you there" Sookie said at a million miles an hour.

"Sookie, hey, I-" But Sookie had already put the phone down.

Carla sighed, standing up, wiping her face and taking another deep and soothing breath, heading back towards Fangtasia.

As she walked down the road towards the open door to the club, she saw Sookie already striding inside.

Carla called out to her, jogging over to her.

Pam was already talking to her.

"He's indisposed..." Pam grinned.

"Where?" Sookie asked, and Pam indicated the basement.

Carla strode over to the basement door, rushing down the steps, Sookie at her heels.

The noises that were echoing around the basement already told her what he was doing before she was even able to see the vampire.

He was fucking the woman she had seen Pam take out of his office earlier, they both were completely clothing less.

Carla used all of her strength to hide her emotions, preventing herself from reacting to the sight. She was so focused on ignoring them, that she didn't even realize her knuckles were actually bleeding quite profusely, so much so that it was dripping on the floor.

"Sookie, and Carla, what a pleasure" Eric turned around.

"This is Yvetta, please meet Sookie and Carla" Eric smiled, Sookie greeted the woman, and she spoke back to her in a different language. "She's from Estonia" Eric informed them.

Eric muttered something to the woman before walking over to the two women.

"What brings you to Fangtasia this balmy summer's night?" Eric asked Sookie.

"Bill gone missing, and i think you did it" Sookie told him.

"I didn't, any other theories?"

"I'm still on this one thank you, where were you at eleven this evening?" Sookie persisted.

"Here, with Yvetta" Eric looked smug.

"I was with him at Eleven" Carla corrected him, her voice showing her anger all to much. Eric grinned at her.

"Tell me where i can find Lorena, if you don't have him, she does" Sookie interrupted their staring war.

"Solid theory, but considering your last meeting, i think you should leave that with me" Eric looked back to Sookie.

"I wouldn't leave anything with Eric, he cannot be fucking trusted with anything" Carla growled, turning around and walking up the steps.

"Good night Carla" Eric called after her, mockingly.

Carla didn't respond, too angry and frustrated to even pay attention to him.

* * *

Sookie drove Carla back to the house, where they found Lafayette and Tara in the lounge.

Carla's hand had stopped bleeding, an began to scab over, thought she would heal it in the morning.

"Tara? What is it?" Sookie asked, going to Tara's side.

"It's Eggs" Tara told her, starting to sob.

"Come here" Sookie said, making Tara sit up from where she was lying on the couch. "What happened?"

"They shot him" Lafayette said.

"What?! Who?" Sookie asked, looking at Lafayette.

Carla sighed, rubbing her face with her hands. "Shit" She said.

"Andy Bellefleur, said that Eggs came at him with a knife, confessing to killing them women and cutting out their hearts" Lafayette explained.

"How did he even know that? Didn't everyone forget what happened when they were under Maryann's influence? Unless..." Carla started, but then trailed off, looking at Sookie intensely.

Sookie turned from Carla to Tara, who looked emotionally destroyed.

"Oh my god, Tara, he came to be earlier today saying he needed help what Maryann made him do, so... so i helped him" Sookie gulped, not sure what the woman's reaction would be.

"No you fucking did not!" Tara snapped at the blonde.

"I'm sorry" Sookie gasped, her eyes wide.

Carla stepped forward, worried of what the woman might do to Sookie.

"You're sorry? You signed his death warrant and that's all you got? Fuck you!" Tara jumped on Sookie, pinning her to the ground.

Carla got down and grabbed the woman by her shoulders, pulling her off Sookie, pushing her into the porch, Lafayette grabbed her arm and Carla let her go.

"We're in the same boat! Bill's gone too!" Sookie screamed at her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, that's Sookie, that's your best friend in this whole fucking world!" Lafayette yelled at Tara, holding her back.

"He didn't need to know!" Tara snapped at Sookie.

"Get her out of here!" Sookie retorted.

"I was just fucking leaving!" Tara pulled herself free of Lafayette, storming out of the door.

"Sorry Sook" Lafayette said, following Tara out.

Carla sighed and shook her head.

"Bad move Sookie, really bad" Carla said.

"He was desperate, Carla! He was so guilty, it would have torn him apart to not know!" Sookie yelled at her.

"Fine" Carla raised her hands protectively. "Fine, i'm going to sleep, I've had quite the night"

"Me too" Sookie agreed, and the two of them filed up the stairs to bed.

* * *

The next day was Sookie's day off, so she did her best to convince the sheriff's office to file a missing person's report on Bill.

Carla went to work at lunch, Sam had left for a few days, so they were down someone already.

The day went quickly, and as night fell, Carla headed back to the house, only to find Sookie in the porch with Pam.

"Where's Carla? I have something for her too" Pam was saying to Sookie, she looked up and saw Carla. "Right on time, here, Eric wanted you to have this" Pam handed Carla a cheque signed by Eric for fifteen thousand dollars.

"I don't want it" Carla offered it back to Pam, but she shook her head.

"He told me you'd try and give it back to me, he also told me to refuse to take it back, sorry" Pam gave her signature smile, before getting all shaky.

"What was that?" Sookie asked, inquisitive.

"Just Eric, calling me, i better check in" Pam told her.

"He can call you?" Sookie asked, but Pam used her speed to leave without answering.

"We need to go and see Jessica, Bill might have tried to call her" Sookie said.

"Okay, but first i need to get changed" Carla informed her, she plodded up to her room, throwing the cheque on her bed, even having that in her presence made her feel like an overpriced hooker.

Carla tried to release her frustration, focusing on trying to find Bill, instead of dealing with Eric.

* * *

Within the hour, they were in Sookie's car, with Jessica driving, Sookie in the passenger seat, and Carla in the back, they were going at a snails pace along a road that Carla didn't even recognize.

"How do you feel now?" Carla asked.

"I think we're getting closer, i'm getting nauseous like last night when-"

"Stop!" Sookie screeched, and Jessica slammed on the brakes, causing the car to rock forward. "That's Bill's car!" Sookie and Carla go out of the car, with Jessica following behind. Muttering that she was a freak of nature.

Sookie ran down the embankment to the car, getting down on her hands and knees next to the car, that was flipped on its hood.

"There's someone inside!" Sookie said, Carla lent down and grabbed the man's hand, pulling him out of the window of the car.

"Check for a cell phone or wallet" Sookie demanded.

Carla checked the man's pockets.

"Nothing" Carla sighed, sitting back on her legs.

"What's that?" Jessica said, crouching next to the man, looking at something on his neck. "Eww..."

"What is that?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know" Carla admitted, standing up.

"We should go to Eric, show him what we've found, maybe he'll be more confident to share with us what he knows now" Sookie said, striding back to the car.

"Sookie... No." Carla said, shaking her head.

"What?" Sookie asked, pausing.

"Not Eric" Carla remembered that Sookie knew nothing about what happened between Eric and her. "Anyone but Eric?"

"What's wrong with you? What happened between the two of you?" Sookie asked, now interested.

"I slept with him Sookie, alright? I thought he was different..." Carla bit her nails nervously.

Carla half expected Sookie to say, serves you right for getting involved with Eric Northman, or something of the like, but she surprised her.

Sookie hugged Carla, rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry, but listen, Eric's the only vampire i know that might know what this means and who has Bill, please, i need your support on this" Sookie looked at Carla hopefully.

"Alright" Carla let her hands drop to her side. "Let's go"

The three of them walked back to the car, heading for Fangtasia.

* * *

Once they arrived, Fangtasia had began to close up, and was deserted, apart from the two vampires.

On the way there, Jessica had used her phone to find out that the marking had something to do with 'Operation werewolf'.

Sookie showed the marking to Eric, who glanced at it.

"It stands for operation werewolf, some kind of secret Nazi commando force from world war two?" Sookie informed him.

"So you found this branded on a dead man's neck?" Eric questioned.

"Yes, Bill called Jessica there last night, this must be some sort of clue to who took him" Carla said, maintaining her stoic appearance.

"Nazi werewolves!" Jessica said from behind the two of them, excited.

"That dead guy, was strong and fast enough to take Bill, he had to be something supernatural, we were hoping you could tell us more" Sookie explained.

Eric's face was adorned with a strange look, as if he was not confident to share his information, he looked almost reminiscent.

"Never seen it before" Eric concluded, burying his hands in his pockets.

"Why do i get the feeling that you've blowing me off?" Sookie asked.

"Because he is" Carla said, Eric glared at Carla, warning her.

"Remember our agreement" Eric growled.

Carla laughed. "I couldn't give a shit anymore Eric, call the police, tell them who i am, where i am, what i have done, let them send me to jail, expose me, they and you do not know what i am, and that's all that matters, no human can overpower me, many vampires also can't, whatever happens, i will escape, and the first one i will be coming for is you" Carla threatened.

Eric blinked, producing his fangs.

"Bring it on" He snarled.

"You can't even overpower me" Carla warned.

"Try me" Eric taunted.

"With pleasure" Carla stiffened, ready to attack.

"Excuse me, please can we stick to the point" Sookie requested, breaking up the two.

"Of course" Eric removed his fangs, and glanced at Pam.

"lämna oss" (Leave us) He said to Pam, and she turned to Jessica.

Carla relaxed, resting her hands flat on the table between Sookie and her and the vampire.

"Let's go to the ladies room and stare at ourselves in the mirror" Pam told Jessica, and she led her away.

"Here's what i know about werewolves, there is a reason their existence has remained merely a myth to humans for thousands of years, they're territorial, vicious and pathologically secretive" Eric paced back and forth in front of them.

"Why does that sound familiar" Sookie asked sarcastically.

"If you add emotionally inept to the mix" Carla added, earning herself a dead stare from Eric, before he looked back to Sookie.

"Here's what i know about you, you're so blinded by your obsession with Bill Compton that you're likely to run through the streets screaming werewolf bait" Eric continued. "Alerting whoever had Bill that we're onto them, or getting yourselves killed"

"You think i'm that stupid?" Sookie asked.

"No, i think you're human" Eric replied.

"Don't underestimate me" Sookie warned.

"Don't underestimate yourself" Eric snapped back. "Your life's too valuable to throw away"

"How sweet" Carla smiled sarcastically at Eric.

"You have no connections in the were community, they're not going to answer your questions because they don't even want you to know they exist" Eric told them.

"I have some old friends i can get in touch with, they owe me some favors" Carla cut in.

"How generous" Eric mocked.

"Unlike you" Carla retorted.

"Bill's out there somewhere, in danger, i can't just go on with life like that's not happening, you know that, maybe better than anyone, when Godric went missing-"

"Bill Compton is no Godric" Eric cut Sookie off.

"But he's everything to me" Sookie started tearing up, Carla looped her arm around Sookie's shoulders, rubbing her shoulder to try and comfort her.

"Please don't do that, it makes me feel disturbingly human"

"It'll probably do you some good then" Carla said, he moved his gaze to her for a moment, and then back to Sookie, who spoke up again.

"I risked my life for Godric, and i don't expect you to do the same for Bill, but at the very least, i hope you'll help me if you can" Sookie's voice quivered.

Eric stared at Carla, glancing at Sookie.

"Sookie?" Jessica said, walking through from the bathroom. "You gotta get me home before dawn" She headed for the door, along with Sookie.

"I'll be out in a minute" Carla said, waiting for the two of them to leave her alone with Eric.

"I just thought i'd tell you that i do know what it feels like to lose someone so close" Carla started, Eric's blue eyes wide. "I had a child, a little boy, his name was Eric, the rules of my people require all children to have a certain amount of talent in the arts, he was sadly lacking, so they took him from me, no more than seven years old, i had to watch my child burn" Eric's eyes widened even more.

"So don't you ever tell me that i do not understand, loss is the most human of all emotions, and even you have felt it, you need to realize that you are human, under that hard, thick exterior... there's good in you" Carla turned away from the vampire, not saying another word, just leaving him.

* * *

The next morning before work, Sookie and Carla spent cleaning up the house in the wake of Maryann, as there was mud smear up the walls and sticks hidden all of the house.

Before work they managed to clean the kitchen completely.

Carla left for work first, as Arlene had started to moan about always feeling she was alone waiting tables considering the lack of waitresses at Merlotte's.

Carla was in the kitchens packing away the delivery into the freezer and onto the shelves when Sookie and Terry came in.

Sookie had an armful of clothing, and she placed it on the metal table in the center of the room.

"Won't he come back for his clothes?" Terry asked, putting on his apron.

"Oh he'll come looking for more than that" Sookie said.

"What happened?" Carla asked, emerging from the freezer.

"I saw someone in the bushes around Merlotte's, i'm sure he was coming to get me, then Terry came by and scared him away, we found the prints of his boots changed into paw prints, wolf prints" Sookie explained.

"Well at least Terry was there for you, i should have been, crap" Carla said, kicking the side of the freezer.

"It's okay, i heard him before i saw him, i would have been able to get into the door before he caught me anyway" Sookie assured her.

Carla sighed. "Sure"

"You'd make me feel much better if you let me call Andy" Terry said.

"I've already got somebody on it, he's a sheriff, and a vampire" Sookie explained.

Terry looked very uncomfortable.

"I wouldn't trust him with this, Sookie, Eric is very unreliable in this case, trust me, he has other motives" Carla told Sookie.

"Like what?" Sookie asked, putting her hand on her hip.

"Like having you as his, Bill being missing is no detriment to him, if Bill disappears, you don't belong to anyone"

Sookie shrugged. "I will never belong to Eric Northman" She said, determined.

"Listen, Terry, you can't tell anyone about this, i don't want yo put you in any danger" Carla told Andy.

"I'm not so good with secrets" Terry looked uncomfortable.

"I think you're a lot better at things than you give yourself credit for" Sookie commented.

Arlene came storming in, furious. "I've been out there hollering foe help for ten minutes" She told Terry.

"I'm sorry darlin' i didn't here ya, let me get that" Terry said, trying to help Arlene.

"No! I can do it all by myself, just like i do everything else!" Arlene said, storming out of the room again.

Terry sighed. "Do you mind telling Arlene that i'm good at things and all?" He asked the two of them.

"Sure, but if you want my advice, tell her yourself, you wait to tell people what you feel about them, you never know what could happen" Sookie replied.

Sookie walked towards the door.

"Sookie, hold up" Terry said, picking up a can from under the kitchen counter, pulling out a gun. "You know how to use one of these?" He asked her, handing it over.

"I'm not that blonde" Sookie checked that it was loaded. Carla was slightly surprised. But went back to work.

The rest of the day seemed to fly by, the place wasn't busy, but Carla stayed until leaving time, Arlene and Terry stayed to lock up, so Carla could go home with Sookie and make sure she was safe.

* * *

Carla sat on the front porch with a blanket around her, while Sookie rested on the couch inside, Carla was wide awake, glancing around the drive way.

With a rush of wind, Eric appeared on the porch in front of her.

"Hello, Carla" He greeted.

"Evening" She nodded, looking uninterested.

"They came for her?" Eric asked.

"Yes, just one, this morning, he took off before Sookie could get anything" Carla leaned back on the seat, looking up at the vampire. "That why you're here? Or have you heard something about Bill?" Eric blinked quickly, his eyes still a little wide, just like the previous night.

"I lied to you" He said.

"Why am i not surprised" Carla smiled.

"You better get Sookie, i need you both to hear this" Eric requested, sitting down on one of the porch seats.

Carla got up, holding the blanket around her, walking inside to wake Sookie, only to find her behind the door.

They sat and listened to Eric explain that he had been hunting a pack of werewolves with this make on them, as they were fueled by vampire blood, and the vampire giving them the blood had them doing his will. He spoke about when he and Godric were in the SS in World War Two hunting the pack, but they never found who was the leader.

"We posed as whatever would help us get what we wanted" Eric explained.

"But you were hunting the Nazi werewolves?" Sookie asked.

"The symbol is runic, this pack dates back long before the Nazi party" Eric explained.

"So they aren't Nazi's?"

"No, they're much more than that, their organised, well funded, highly trained, and fueled by vampire blood" Eric continued.

"Why didn't you tell us this last night?" Sookie asked.

"Because there is something to gain out of telling us this" Carla inquired.

"No, the better question is why am i risking everything to tell you now" Eric said back. "My loyalty is not to Bill, on the contrary it would be advantageous to me if he was never found, but..."

"But..?" Carla asked. Eric was gazing at her.

"Now they're coming for you, and i owe you" Eric brushed it off, turning away.

"And you're saying your risking everything to tell us, what did that mean?" Carla asked.

"The goal tonight was to keep you out of danger, not put you in more of it"

Eric stood up and walked towards the porch steps, Carla stood up at well.

"Eric? Where are you going?" Carla asked.

"No where, you're going to invite me in, so i can protect you, or have passionate primal sex with you" Eric stepped closer to Carla, forcing her to back away.

"That won't be necessary, i am more than capable of protecting myself and Sookie without your help, and i certainly don't need your sexual favors either, considering what happened last time" Carla placed her hands on her hips, standing up to the vampire.

"Go on, just invite me in, you enjoyed it last time" Eric grinned down at her, but she remained serious.

Sookie raised her hand and flicked her hair off her shoulder.

Eric looked down at her ring.

"To have and to hold" Eric began, wandering up and down the porch. "to love and to cherish, to blah, blah, blah, blah unto death do you part, doesn't bother than you will be the only one doing the dying?" Eric asked her.

"I'm not going to talk about this with you" Sookie told him, leaning against one of the posts on the porch.

"Okay, so you'd really rather stay out here all night than invite me in?" Eric asked.

"Sookie" Carla turned to her. "Go back to sleep, i'll stay out here" Sookie nodded, going back towards the door.

Carla heard something from inside the house.

"Sookie!" Carla walked to the door, going inside, pulling the woman back outside. She morphed in mid step, as the werewolf padded in from the back room.

Carla, in her cheetah form, intimidated the small pup in comparison.

Sookie came running in, aiming the gun that Terry had given her, and shooting at the wolf, that wads now cowering back at the sight of Carla.

Eric then ran inside, being invited in by Sookie previous to her firing of the gun, he jumped in the way of the bullet, taking it instead.

The vampire fell to the floor, blood erupting from his chest.

The wolf saw the blood, and jumped for the vampire, managing to get some blood from his chest, morphed back into his human form.

Carla pinned the wolf to the floor, growling down at him.

"Who do you work for?!" Carla growled down at the man, who coughed and spluttered, vampire blood in his mouth. Carla dug her claws into the man, he cried out in pain.

"Fuck you bitch! If i tell you, i'm as dead as that vamper'" Carla looked down and saw the same brand on the man's neck.

"Very well" Carla, in one fatal bite, tore the man's throat out.

She morphed back into her human form, and grabbed the man by the back of the neck. "I will dispose of this, you better come with me Sookie" Carla glanced at Eric, and then at Sookie, who nodded in agreement.

They all headed to the cemetery to bury the body.

As Carla covered up the man, shoveling dirt on top of his body.

"So much for keeping his alive so we could question him" Sookie finally spoke up.

"That's what i was planning" Carla admitted. Eric nodded in agreement.

"Then you saw him attack Eric?" Sookie asked, an eyebrow raised at Carla, who glared at her.

"He had Eric's blood inside him, werewolves on V can be very powerful, sometimes even more powerful than a vampire" Carla explained, throwing the last shovel full of dirt on the pile.

"Well, thanks for saving my life" Sookie said to Carla, who shrugged it off.

"How's your bullet wound?" Carla asked Eric.

"Would have healed quicker if i had a piece of you" He winked. Carla considered pummeling him around the head with the shovel, but instead she put it down, making sure she didn't.

"Come on" Carla told Sookie, heading back towards the house, Eric followed.

"Do you know anyone called Jackson? That's all i could make out in his thoughts, maybe that's the person he's working for?" Sookie asked, addressing Eric more than Carla.

"Jackson is where he lives, he had a Mississippi accent, can't you people tell the difference?" Eric explained.

"That's where Bill must be then" Carla said, putting two and two together.

"We have to go like yesterday!" Sookie told them both.

"I can't, not yet" Eric muttered. "The problems of the world consist of more than finding your missing boyfriend" Eric told her. you shouldn't go by yourself anyway, the werewolves are looking for you, you're no good to Bill or to me if you're dead"

"How can you expect me to sit around and do nothing when we finally have a lead?" Sookie grumbled.

"It will be morning by the time you get to Jackson, if you are seriously considering rescuing a missing vampire during daylight i have seriously overestimated your intelligence" Eric answered. Sookie climbed the porch steps, pausing on the second step to look down at Eric.

"Take the day to think it over" Eric added.

"Fine, i'll leave tomorrow" Sookie told him. "I have to, Bill would do it for me"

"Then i will come with you too" Carla said, "come on, you need to get some rest" Carla led Sookie up the steps and into the house.

Eric stepped up the porch steps.

"Be careful"

"Eric, i'm always careful" Carla smiled. "Good night" Eric winked at her, with a rare genuine smile, and ran off into the night. Carla locked the door behind her and went to go to sleep.

* * *

**Hope you liked this crazily long chapter, i kinda got carried away. Thanks for all your kindness and support! Please feel free to favorite, follow and review if you like my fanfic! Tell me what you think, i am happy to hear! **

**Hope to see you next time, as usual, chapters will be out as fast as they can be!**

**-Shad out**


	21. Dangerously Familiar

**Welcome back! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for all your support guys!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-one - Dangerously Familiar

* * *

Dawn seemed to come early the next day, and before she knew it, Carla was standing at the bar in Merlotte's, on the other side this time, waiting for Sookie to talk things over with Sam, Carla had to do the same, of course, but Sam told them one at a time.

Carla leaned heavily on the bar, completely exhausted after not getting much sleep the previous night due to watching over Sookie.

She heard the door of Merlotte's swing open behind her, and she automatically turned to see who had entered.

She wished she hadn't.

Two very familiar figures walked in, standing in the isle between the tables, a few steps away from Carla.

She tried to remain still and quiet. Going back to staring at her lemonade.

The first man, tall with cinnamon colored hair, and matching eyes, a muscular build with broad, strong shoulders. He was wearing a black tank top under a denim jacket, with black jean pants.

The second, was more skinny, but still slightly muscular, with grey eyes and a matching grey jacket with blue jeans and short bleach blonde hair.

The two of them glanced around, looking over the occupants of the bar, Carla physically felt the weight of their eyes on her for a few moments, before they passed off onto another.

Carla sucked in a deep breath.

She needed to escape.

She finished her lemonade, placing the glass back on the counter.

Arlene came over to the two men.

"Hello and welcome to Merlotte's, how are ya'll doing today, any where in particular you'd like to sit this fine morning?" She asked them.

"We'll just sit at the bar thank you, we're not really hungry" The blonde explained, she could hear the smile on his face without even seeing it.

"Very well, take a seat wherever you fancy, i'll come and take your order in a minute" Arlene smiled and walked away from them.

Thankfully the two sat a few chairs down from Carla, she forced herself to stay put where she was for a few seconds before getting up seemingly normally and walking past them.

They didn't react.

Carla let out a huge sigh of relief.

She strode round the corner so she was out of sight.

"Thank you, Sam" Sookie finished.

"Hey, Sam, i need to do this quick, i'm going with Sookie to Jackson for a few days, i'm sure she has explained, but i really need to go and i am so sorry and you can fire me if you want because i know this is immensely disrespectful to anyone specially my boss but i can't hang around" Carla grabbed Sookie by the arm and yanked her towards the back exit of the bar.

"What? Hey, what the hell?" Sam shouted after them, but Carla ignored him.

"Carla, what is the lords name is wrong with you?" Sookie asked, with Carla still dragged her by her arm back to the car.

"I saw someone a knows in the bar, they're here for me" Carla explained, pushing Sookie into the passenger seat of the car, and getting in the drivers side.

"Did he see you?" Sookie asked.

"THEY didn't, we need to get going as soon as possible" Carla started up the engine.

"In the afternoon, we can't leave to early" Sookie said.

"Fine, but as soon as we can" Carla said. And Sookie nodded in agreement.

She pulled the car out of the Merlotte's parking lot, steering towards home.

* * *

Sookie went out for a few hours after they got back, to reconcile with Tara.

When she got back, Carla was in the middle of scrubbing the blood out of the hallway mat from the previous night.

"Oh you don't have to do that" Sookie said, leaning on one leg and putting one hand on her hip.

"Why not? i made the mess" Carla smiled, glancing around at the blonde. That was when she saw the burly man walking up the drive way towards the house.

"Sookie, go inside" Carla said, getting up.

"Why? What is..." Sookie asked, before following Carla's gaze and seeing the man.

"Stop!" Carla ordered and the man did so. Dogs always know the voice of the dominant one, Carla thought. "Who the hell are you?" She asked.

"I'm Alcide Herveaux, Eric Northman sent me" The man explained, shouting so that they could hear him from the distance.

"Ain't no one here needing protection" Carla shouted back.

"Come on inside, i'll make us some tea" Sookie shouted at the man, and he began to walk up towards the house.

"Sookie! What the fuck!?" Carla turned to face the blonde.

"Carla, Eric obviously sent him because he knows the Jackson pack, why else would he bother?" Sookie crossed her arms in front of her defensively.

"To piss me off for a start" Carla grumbled, going inside.

Sookie showed Alcide to the table, before going into the kitchen to make the tea, Carla sat on the far side of the table, and Alcide sat opposite her.

"If Eric Northman sent you, what did he tell you about us?" Carla asked, leaning forward with one arm on the table.

"Said there was a pretty blonde, and she had a friend, brown hair and eyes, kinda wolfish and intense" Alcide answered, he had one arm over the back of the chair, and his wrist resting on the table, relaxed.

"Heh, you know that kinda sounds like him" Carla leaned forward with both arms. "I just want you to know that i am not angry at you, i am angry at the fact that Eric Northman thinks i can't handle a couple of weres on my own and i cannot disassociate myself with him and just to let you know, you may think that we are the same, but i assure you, we are like two sides of the a coin"

"Opposite but the same?" Alcide asked, slightly confused.

"Exactly" Carla sat up straight as Sookie came in, and Alcide copied.

"You're friend is definitely in a bad mood today" Alcide said, as Sookie laid down his tea in front of him.

"Oh she's just got a bee in her bonnet cos she saw someone she didn't appreciate much at work, and boyfriend issues of course" Sookie smiled.

"Sookie!" Carla exclaimed.

"What? It's so damn obvious that you're still hung over Dallas, whatever happened between you two really rubbed you up the wrong way" Sookie laid down Carla's tea.

"Dallas?" Alcide asked.

"I think frustrated is a better way to put it" Carla said. "It's none of your concern, Eric Northman is definitely not getting anywhere near me again, i can assure everyone of that, i have learned my lesson the hard way" She finished, smiling.

"The house is in no state for guests, i'll explain in the car, but i'm sorry for the mess" Sookie told Alcide, sitting down next to Carla.

Alcide looked at Sookie dead on. "Yes it is" Sookie said, looking completely neutral.

"Alright, enough speaking in your heads" Carla complained.

"Well it can be useful if Alcide and i and in a room full of strangers" Sookie said.

"I'll keep that in mind" Alcide nodded.

"So, why can't Mr Eric Northman look after you himself?" Alcide asked.

"Because its not like that between them, Sookie and Eric are like polar opposites, his deceit just doesn't go with her innocence" Carla said.

"Eric and I don't tend to see eye to eye, and i am no innocent" Sookie corrected.

"Or that's what she'd have you believe" Carla smiled.

Sookie mock slapped her arm.

"How'd he rope you in to taking us to Jackson?" Sookie asked.

"My old man, he's got a construction company in Caddo parish, came up a little short on a project, went to Northman for a loan" Alcide explained.

"Bad choice" Carla commented.

"Well you take what you can get" Alcide told her. "Only reason i'm here is to help him get out of debt, i don't do favors for vamps, plus i know the pack you're sniffin' around, you ain't gettin' no where without an in" He finished.

"Are you friends with them?" Sookie asked.

"I wouldn't call them friends exactly" He admitted.

"Ex?" Carla questioned.

"Is banging their leader" Alcide finished.

"Sorry" Carla and Sookie said at the same time.

"That pack is a cancer to our kind" Alcide began, looking grim. "Weres have lived in Jackson for almost two hundred years without a single human knowing about it, now these sons of bitches come to town, there's a crime streak a mile wide, i'd like to say the rest of us are above violence, but you shut the barn door behind you" He finished, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"One of them came after me last night, in here" Sookie informed him.

"Northman mentioned that, looks like a hell of a fight" Alcide said, staring at Carla.

"Great, what did he tell you?" Carla sat up.

"He just told me that you killed the were" Alcide admitted.

"Well yeah, it's all part of the job description" Carla indicated Sookie.

"You ready for more of that in Jackson?" Alcide asked.

"Bring it on" Carla shrugged.

"They took someone i love from me, i don't know about you but i was raised to fight back" Sookie sounded determined.

"Great, she'll get us both killed" Alcide said, Carla couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious.

"Sounds like a walk in the park" Carla joked.

"I'll pack light" Sookie added.

* * *

After arriving in Jackson, Alcide took Carla and Sookie straight to a bar called Lou Pine's, where he was sure that the pack was hanging around.

As Alcide pulled open the large doors to the club, allowing the two women to walk in first, he seemed to tense, as if ready for a fight.

He closed the door behind him, and stood next to Carla, who was stood next to Sookie as they both inspected the bar layout and inhabitants.

"May not look like much, but Lou Pine's is the oldest were bar is Mississippi" Alcide said, glancing nervously around for familiar faces.

"Alcide!" A man who was leaning against a table called them over, he was very close to the door, welcoming the patron's in, the two wolves shook hands, both smiling. "It's nice to see a face from the old pack" The man commented, he was covered in tattoos, though they were less visible due to the dark color of his skin, his head was shaven, and he seemed like the nice sort, friendly and genuine.

"Well i figured the new wolves are drinking enough for all of us" Alcide explained, looking out at the bar again, remaining slightly tense, though less so then when he first entered.

The man turned his gaze to the to women, glancing between Carla and Sookie, sizing them up, his eyes lingered on Carla, she wasn't sure if it was her peculiar scent or the fact that she too was inspecting him.

"Who're the civilians?" The man asked, indicating the two of them.

"They're cool, friends" Alcide nodded.

"Am i not dress properly?" Sookie asked, glancing down at her attire, after inspecting the amount of people in the bar wearing leathers, bandannas and adorned with tattoos.

"You look like dinner" The man said to Sookie.

"She has a habit of dressing that way" Carl admitted, though she wasn't too proud of her own attire, denim shorts with a large grey T-shirt stained with paint. "I'll keep an eye on her, and make sure she doesn't attract to much unwanted attention" Carla smiled.

"Though you're not much better?" The man asked. She shrugged at him.

"I am more than capable of handling myself" Carla smiled pleasantly, crossing her arms in front of her chest, the man raised an eyebrow, with a smile.

"I'll keep and eye on them Hollis" Alcide assured him, and he seemed more confidant then. Sookie walked around the man and into the main bar area, Carla and Alcide followed.

"You're going to have to split off, they see me with you they ain't gonna talk" Alcide talked close to Sookie's ear.

"Where you gonna be?" Sookie asked Alcide.

"With my guys, i'll be watching you, you make it quick, for your own sake" Alcide said, breaking off away from Sookie and Carla.

"And you? Where will you be?" Sookie asked her.

"Right over by the back door, i'll be watching you as well, just don't do anything overly stupid" Carla smiled, striding away before she could get slapped.

Carla leaned against the wall, watching Sookie mingle with the werewolves, her mind began to wander back to Eric, when she was with him in the office.

He definitely didn't respond to her affections as if she was just another girl, but then again, Eric was a master of deception, he could do whatever he wanted to get someone to believe him or do what he wanted, for all she know he could be stringing her along.

No, she refused to allow him to manipulate her, she wanted to know where she was with the person she loved, know he could be trusted one hundred percent, without a single doubt to linger in her mind. But still, she couldn't keep the vampire out of her mind.

A cheer went up in the bar which broke Carla's train of thought, she looked up to see Sookie being dragged away by a were clad in full leather with a large bushy black beard. She glanced at Alcide, who was alert and worried, Sookie disappeared into a side room, and Alcide came striding across the room to follow.

Carla was at the door before he was even close. She heard Sookie screaming inside, and she grabbed the were by the shoulder, making him turn to face her. she aimed a punch right into his cheek, just below the eye, and he cried out in pain.

The man charged Carla, he was stronger and any were she had ever encountered. He pushed her back against the wall, but Carla grabbed the clothes on his back in her fists, picking his feet up off the ground and running out of the door into the bar, throwing the man to the ground.

A crowd formed quickly, and Alcide ran into the middle, trying to break up the fight, which caused more weres to join. Carla floored one man and stamped down hard on his knee cap, fracturing it, he was doubled over in pain.

Another man charged her, but she flipped him over so he landed square on his back, frozen by pain.

That was when she noticed two men were holding Alcide still while the man that had taken Sookie out of sight was beating him.

Carla raised her shoe and propelled it into the man's crotch, causing him to clutch them defensively.

As he recovered, about to come for her, he was hit from behind by a baseball bat, wielded by the man they had met at the door, Hollis.

"God damn! I'm gonna run out of bats if he keeps this shit up!" The man cursed. The two men holding Alcide dropped him hard onto the floor, Carla lunged forward and they backed off, scuttling away into the crowd. She crouched down next to him, surveying the damage.

"Anything hurt?" She asked him, and he nodded.

"Just about everything" He replied, coughing.

"Get him out of here! Now!" Hollis shouted at the were's goons, and carried the now unconscious were out of the bar, as ordered.

Sookie emerged from the room, looking a little shaken.

The crowd dispersed, and Hollis knelt down next to Alcide, Carla still checking for serious damage, weres may have been ferocious, but they were also fragile, much like a glass cannon.

"Come on man, she's not worth it" Hollis said.

"I barely even know her" Alcide grumbled, thinking Hollis was talking about Sookie.

"I'm talking about Debbie!" Hollis corrected.

"What about Debbie?" Alcide asked, clueless.

"Oh shit, umm, Debbie's getting engaged to Coot" Hollis broke it to him softly. Alcide paused for a moment, and then sighed deeply.

"Come on Hollis, stop it" He said, wiping his forehead.

"Well, the party's tomorrow night, here" Hollie said, full of regret. "I'm sorry i gotta be the one to break it to you"

Alcide glanced back at Sookie.

"Come on, we gotta go and get back" Carla said, giving Alcide and hand to get up. "I think this is enough excitement for tomorrow night, after that Sookie's not going to get anyone to talk to her" Alcide nodded in agreement.

Carla offered Alcide her shoulder, and he took it, leaning on the woman, Sookie helped support him too.

"I am sorry for the ruckus we caused, Mr Hollis" Sookie apologized, and the man simply nodded.

* * *

Carla drove Alcide's van back to his apartment, and helped him inside, sitting him down on the bed and stripping off his shirt so she could treat his wounds.

Sookie sat on the bed next to him, looking slightly shell shocked.

Alcide growled like a typical were every time Carla dabbed his wounds with disinfectant.

"I should have been strong enough to beat that fucker to a pulp" Alcide grumbled.

"Don't take it personally, that were you were fighting had vampire blood in him, Bill's in fact, so i know it's strong" Sookie explained, picking up a wound dressing and placing it over one of the cuts on Alcide's back that Carla had already treated.

Alcide huffed and puffed as Carla finished dabbing the last of his wounds, and covering them.

"Werewolves doing V? Goes against everything we stand for" Alcide replied.

"Seems like this pack just lives to break all the rules, reminds me a little of me" Carla admitted, which earned her a bitter glance from Alcide.

"Is the rest of the pack into that shit?" He asked Sookie.

"The ones who took Bill at least" Sookie answered.

"Like a need more reasons to hate them" Alcide replied.

"Do you know where or who they took Bill too?" Carla asked, handing Alcide his shirt, to which he nodded in appreciation.

"No, i don't" Sookie admitted, falling into silence for a moment. "Is Debbie your ex-girlfriend?" Sookie asked, Carla gave her a warning glance, to which she mouthed 'what?' back at her.

"She was my fiance" Alcide said. "She moved out a month ago"

"A month?" Sookie seemed surprised. "And you still haven't got new furniture?" She asked, looking around the flat.

Alcide sighed. "I don't have time for it"

"You ever hear from her?" Sookie asked. Carla sat down against the wall, looking down to see a blood pool at her hips on his shirt and shorts.

"My sister Janice does, she runs a beauty parlor, Debbie still goes in to get her hair done up" Alcide replied. Silence followed.

"We can't help who we love, our hearts decide, not our heads" Carla said, before she realized she was saying it out loud, Alcide and Sookie stared at her.

Sookie's phone sprung to life. She ran to pick it up.

Carla heard the one sided conversation that occurred between Sookie and Bill, which ended with Sookie in tears and Alcide and Carla looking on with concern.

"What does he mean he doesn't wanna be found?" Sookie asked, dropping her phone on the bed next to her as she sat down, and Alcide got up.

"He means what he says?" Carla suggested. Alcide nodded in agreement.

"But that isn't what he meant!" Sookie sobbed.

"Well what did he say?" Alcide asked.

"I don't know what he said i just know that isn't the man i love!" Sookie continued.

"Well, maybe the man you love only ever existed inside your head?" Carla asked. Sookie glared.

"Oh, is that supposed to be making me feel better? Thanks a bunch!" Sookie wiped her eyes.

"All i know is that no matter how well you think you know somebody they can still turn around and kick you in the nut sack" Alcide got up to get Sookie a tissue.

"I don't have a nut sack... and Bill, he's risked everything for me" Sookie took a deep breath. "Our love is way bigger than him breaking up with me over the phone!" she began sobbing again.

Carla got up and came to sit next to her, with Alcide on the other side.

"How many relationships you been in?" Alcide asked Sookie.

"What does that matter?!" Sookie winged.

"All i'm saying is there is no nice way of getting out of these things" Alcide said, shrugging.

"You got that right" Carla agreed, thinking back to Eric again.

Sookie began sobbing loudly again, so Alcide pulled her he onto his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, comforting her.

"Oh my god you're so warm" Sookie said.

"I'm sorry"

"It's okay i'm just not used to it" Sookie admitted, slowly stopping her crying.

"It's a were thing" Carla and Alcide said at the same time.

"They're so easy to recognize, it's surprising they've gone this long without being found out" Carla continued.

"I thought maybe you were coming down with the flu" Sookie interrupted.

Alcide chuckled. Before standing up to leave.

"You two probably want some privacy" Alcide muttered.

"Fine, i need some rest anyway" Carla said, shuffling back up the bed to lay down.

"Good night Alcide" Sookie said, getting up to get changed.

Alcide left the room, smiling back at them.

Sookie sat up almost all night, keeping Carla up with her negative energy, plus she felt guilty getting a good nights sleep when Sookie was wide awake.

Sookie's phone rang, causing Carla to sit up as she answered.

"Tara?" She answered the call. "Bill broke up with me" Sookie muttered, about to get up out of bed, but Carla caught her leg so she could hear the other side of the conversation. Something wasn't right.

Sookie looked confused, not knowing what was going on, but Carla put her finger over he lips to make her shush. Sookie opened her mouth the tell Tara where she was, but Carla quickly shook her head.

"No i just need to cry my eyes out for about a week" Sookie said, watching Carla for directions.

"What you need is your best friend, right now, give me your address" Tara said from down the phone, her voice was different, full of less profanities then usual, for sure, and more wooden and controlled.

Carla shook her head again, telling Sookie not to tell her.

"A-after all you've been through? I don't want you getting mixed up in my mess" Sookie said, her eyes slightly wide.

"You'd do it for me, i'm getting in the car right now, address?!" Tara asked again.

Carla shook her head again, mouthing 'no address'.

"I'm exhausted, i'll call you tomorrow i promise!" Sookie quickly cut the phone off, and closed it.

"What the hell was that about?!" Sookie asked, staring at Carla, who unhanded the waitress.

"I think that Bill was taken by a vampire" Carla concluded, sitting up straight in the bed, thoughtful. "Tara was just being glamoured by a vampire, did you notice that? That strange wooden quality to her voice? too controlled to be Tara, there are vampires involved with this, maybe they didn't take Bill, but they are certainly after you, it must be Eric, or Bill has told someone what you can do, and now they are interested" Carla explained, trying to work it out.

"Well yes, Lorena has Bill" Sookie said. "I heard her on the phone when he called me earlier"

"Lorena has no control over Bill, she released him, this is not Lorena, this is someone much older and more powerful than her" Carla deduced, and Sookie laid down in bed.

"You work it out, i actually am exhausted, i need some rest" Sookie said, pulling the blankets of the double bed up over herself. Carla laid down too, facing away from the fairy.

"Good night" Sookie said.

"Good night Sookie" Carla said, now too awake to sleep.

* * *

Carla ended up with her eyes wide open all night, thinking about the events of the previous night.

When the morning light poked in through the curtains of the bedroom, it didn't take Sookie a few minutes to pull herself out of bed to seek breakfast.

Carla knitted her eyes shut, and prayed for some form of rest for the evening, but it simply wouldn't come to her.

"No fucking way!" she heard Alcide yell from the kitchen, probably at Sookie, so she pulled herself out of bed and strode towards the ruckus. "I've payed my debt to Eric Northman!" Alcide complained.

"I know you're still hurting over Debbie, but seeing her with those creeps, might help you get over her" Sookie explained.

"Are you insane? Us turning up after last night is just asking to get killed!" He continued to yell at Sookie.

"Hey? No sleep? Any courtesy?" Carla asked, still drowsy.

"Yeah fine, i'm done here anyway, you go if you want to, just don't put your shit on me!" Alcide said, walking away with his breakfast.

"What the hell was that about?" Carla asked, yawning.

"We need to go to that engagement party tonight and get some more information about Bill" Sookie said, sipping her orange juice.

"Well we're not going to get anywhere in terms of answers if you go dressed like you were last night, looked like a sheep in a pack of wolves, literally, and i'm not much better" Carla grumbled.

"Fine, Alcide said his sister worked at the beauty parlor, i'll find her number and call her" Sookie said.

"And i'll go back to bed and get some rest" Carla began walking back to the bedroom.

"Nope, i'll ask her to come asap so you better get washed an dressed" Sookie corrected, stimulating a tired groan from Carla, who buried her face in the pillows on the bed.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please feel free to let me know if you did, i love to hear your feedback, and it inspires me to continue writing.**

**Almost forgot to update twice today, silly me, i am back to writing now and will keep up with double updates on Tuesdays, though my course is now coming to a close so i am swamped with work, but i will try my best.**

**See you next time,**

**-Shad out**


	22. A Cold Reunion

**Welcome back!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-two - A Cold Reunion

* * *

The knock on the door boomed through the house and Sookie ran to answer it. Carla was only just climbing out of the shower, she she dried off her hair with the towel so it wasn't dripping too much, followed by her body, and quickly pulled her clothes on.

When she came out Sookie was sat at the dining table, and Janice, Alcide's sister, had her equipment all over the table and floor.

"Don't get too excited, Alcide and i are just working together" Sookie was telling her.

"Well you don't look like you work construction to me" Janice joked.

"No, someone i care about has gone missing, and Alcide has inside information about the folks i think have him" Sookie explained.

"Well, are you with my brother, at least slept with him? Anything to get his mind moving forward instead of looking back" Janice asked Carla.

"No" Carla chuckled. "I'm just here with Sookie, my status on the relationship front if rather disastrous at the moment" she added.

Janice nodded with a frown.

"Sookie called because we need to get into Lou Pine's without standing out" Carla explained, her hands in her jean pockets, wet hair straggled everywhere.

"You gotta look the part? Well that is my specialty" Janice wandered round the table, focusing on Sookie first. "How deep do you wanna go?" She asked the blonde.

"I wanna look like i can kick some serious ass" Sookie said, and Janice grinned, and chuckled. "Which i can!" Sookie added.

"Alright, let's pick out some temporary tattoos" Janice started, picking up a large black folder. "No chance of anything more between either of of you and my baby brother?" she asked, turning back to Sookie with the book in hand.

"I'm not really looking" Carla said.

"He's still hung up on his ex" Sookie continued. "I guess finding out about the engagement party tonight didn't help much"

"Yeah, right" Janice put the book down in front of Sookie. "Engagement party" She sounded unsure.

"Excuse me?" Sookie asked, seeming to pick up on the strange reply too. Carla lent against the door frame just behind the two women.

"No, no, that's right, engagement party, that's right" she tried to correct her mistake. "Honestly how'd he find out"

"Well Hollis told him last night" Carla said.

"Oh well then" Janice stood up and started pressing a fake tattoo against Sookie's back.

"If Alcide still loves Debbie, don't you think he should go and try and talk her out of it?" Sookie asked.

"No he should not, my psychic told him point blank if he stayed with her he would get himself killed" Janice said firmly. "Did he listen? No, she ended up dumping his ass"

"Why'd he stay with her so long?" Carla asked, covering up a yawn.

"She was his first love, he never met somebody so alive, all that shit... but how many bullets you gon' take for somebody? How many bad things have gotta happen to you and the people that you love before feelin' alive ain't enough" Janice frowned. "I'm just glad he made it out alive" she continued to add tattoos to Sookie's back.

It took the rest of the afternoon and a portion of the evening before both of the women were done, Sookie was done up in a leather sleeveless shirt and leather pants, fake tattoos, leather gloves and black wig included.

Carla had a tight leather corset on, with black wings tattooed on her back, and a intricate fake tattoo pattern down her arm. Her hair was also covered with a fake wig, making it long, curly and black. She had long leather trousers covering her legs, heavy black boots, with large oval ear rings and net gloves that went half way up her fore arm.

"Hello?" Alcide asked as he came in.

"In here" Sookie called back.

He came walking around the corner and looked at the two women.

"Wow, i guess my sister took to you" He commented.

"Debbie's getting initiated into Coot's pack, and she's addicted to V" Sookie told him out right.

"Sookie! We agreed!" Carla exclaimed, covering her face with her palm.

"He deserves to know!" Sookie complained.

"Shut the fucking door, Debbie's a blood head? How'd you find out?" Alcide responded, looking shocked.

"I was poking around in Janice's brain" Sookie explained. "She didn't tell you because she was trying to protect you"

"Well then why didn't you let her! Even you're friend didn't agree to this!" Alcide dropped a pack of beers down on the table he had bought.

"Because i know you still care about Debbie, no matter what she did to you an i figured you'd wanna know if she were in danger!" Sookie tried to justify herself.

Carla leaned one arm on the first place, looking down into the grate, it was going to be a shitty night, that's for sure.

"She's gonna let those fucking mongrel's brand her!" Alcide yelled, now incredibly angry. "V's the only reason, it's gotta be"

"Of course it is, maybe it's not too late for you to get through to her?" Sookie said, Carla kept out of it. "Stop her from ruining her life"

Alcide threw a punch at the wall, his anger slowly escalating. "Fuck!" He cursed.

"That mean you're coming with me?" Sookie asked Alcide, who was furious by this point. "I probably won't get in otherwise"

"Sookie, you really are a cold heartless bitch sometimes" Carla stood up straight, liking her lips.

"What?! It's the truth" Sookie retaliated.

"Fine!" Alcide replied. "We're all going to have to go in separate though, might be able to fool some with that get up" Alcide commented on their attire. "Their just gonna beat the shit out of me, again!"

"Alcide, i will not let that happen" Carla turned to the were, making eye contact.

Alcide didn't react, he just walked out of the room.

* * *

A few hours later, all three of them were inside Lou Pine's, searching for Debbie, and for clues to Bill's whereabouts.

Carla grabbed a vodka bottle and sat at the bar, taking sips whenever she started to nod off, which got more and more frequent as the night went on.

"What the fuck is this?!" A man's voice interrupted her drinking, and looked over at the scene she had missed between Sookie, Alcide, a man and a woman, the woman Carla assumed was Debbie.

"It's just a conversation Coot" Alcide assured him. Carla got up from her seat, abandoning her bottle, and standing a few steps away from the group, ready to jump in if she needed too.

"Well she's finished with you Herveaux, she went and found herself a real wolf" Coot mocked.

Carla stepped forward next to Alcide, looking at the two. "I know whatever wolf you think you are, in reality, you're just a V drinking addict who'll never be better than any half respecting were" Carla growled.

"Oh, who's this Herveaux? Another skank?" Coot asked.

"Skank or not i can still rip your ass out through your mouth" Carla growled, stepping forward to do so, but Alcide pulled her back.

"Come on then, let's fucking do this!" Coot yelled.

Alcide tensed, but Debbie interjected.

"Leave him alone Coot, let him stay"

"No way in hell" Coot ordered.

"He needs to see this, he ain't never gonna leave me be until he knows i'm with you for good" Debbie smiled, glancing at Alcide.

The two started kissing intimately, and Carla pulled Alcide away, he didn't have to see this.

"Okay!" Coot yelled, and the bar whipped into a frenzy of whooping and yelling.

Sookie joined the two of them, as Debbie was dragged towards a stage at the corner of the bar, he clothes being torn off down to her underwear as she was passed along by the crowd.

"Coot, he's one of the ones who took Bill" Sookie told Carla through gritted teeth.

As Debbie was lowered onto the stage, a man, a vampire, with a fur coat threw it over her.

"Who's that?" Sookie asked.

"Russel Edgington, he's a rich antiques dealer here" Alcide explained

"And a vampire" Carla muttered, with a nod from Alcide.

The whole crowd howled the cheered, but as the vampire came to the front of the stage, and he raised his hands, the music and the noise stopped completely and the crowd bowed down. The three of them did the same, making sure they were not noticed.

The vampire started to speak in german, and the crowd responded.

"What's he doing in a wolf den?" Carla asked.

"Why are they submitting to this fanger?" Alcide added.

The vampire bit into his arm, and filled multiple shot glasses with his blood.

"Oh my god, he supplies them" Sookie concluded.

"Holy shit" Alcide exclaimed.

"Not tonight pumpkin, otherwise your brand won't last" Russel said down at Debbie, retracting his fangs and patting his mouth with a handkerchief, he raised his hands again.

"To night, you continue the grand tradition of expanding our pack, my contribution is but a small token of gratitude for our collaboration throughout the ages" He continued, the crowd cheered in agreement and support.

"Ages?" Carla said to herself.

The vampire raised his hand and the pack raised their glasses.

"Drink!" He ordered, and they obeyed, growling and snarling at the feeling the V gave them.

The vampire hushed them again, "Now, i leave you among your own, to celebrate!" He grinned manically, before leaving. The roaring of the bar rose back up again, as the weres climbed up onto the stage, red hot brand in hand and ready to use it on Debbie.

The brand was held against her back for about five seconds, and she screamed out in pain.

"Debbie you dumb bitch!" Alcide cringed.

Carla caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and saw the face of the man she had seen, one of the pair from Merlotte's, they had followed her here to Jackson, and now they had seen her, Clive was heading towards her.

She turned and grabbed Sookie.

"We need to leave! Now!" Carla called, and Sookie tried to resist, but Carla's pull was simply too forceful for her to resist successfully.

Almost at the door and she felt a hand around her wrist, she turned to face the man, and kicked out at his ankle, breaking it. He yelped and fell to the ground.

Carla dragged Sookie back to Alcide's truck, and pulled it up outside the bar, where Alcide ran out and climbed in next to Sookie and Carla began to speed home.

"What happened back there? They were all shifting! You almost shifted!" Sookie yelled at Alcide over the revving of the engine as Carla pushed it to it's limits.

"Can't help it when that energy gets rolling you can't stop it" Alcide said by way of explanation. "You're lucky we got outta there alive!"

"Carla! Slow down! Who the fuck was that in the bar? Do you know him? The one who grabbed you?" Sookie yelled.

"No, i don't" Carla refused to slow down, continuing to speed.

"Carla! Stop! Now!" Carla pulled over into a lay by and let go of the steering wheel, taking a deep breath.

"Who the hell was that?" Sookie asked again.

"No-one you should concern yourself with" Carla said, slamming her hands on the steering wheel. "Fuck!" She screamed.

"Debbie wasn't always shitty" Alcide admitted. "We were great together, when she weren't drinking or cheating, she used to play horse shoes with my dad and help my mum plant tomatoes" Alcide frowned, obviously missing those days.

"But tonight she was half naked in a wolf skin getting branded..." Sookie said. "Tell me more about Russel Edgington" Sookie requested.

"He's just some rich vampire, that's all i knew till tonight" Alcide said.

"He's also a very old and very dangerous vampire, no doubt he holds a very powerful position in the vampire hierarchy, sheriff? No, king" Carla deduced out loud.

"I've gotta talk to him" Sookie said.

"Are you outta your fucking mind?!" Alcide asked.

"The brand, the blood, the vampire, he knows where Bill is, or he knows who knows" Sookie assured herself.

"I promised Eric i'd keep you out of trouble" Alcide argued.

"Fuck Eric" Carla said, earning her the gaze of the two in the car next to her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Sookie asked.

"Russel Edgington probably has Bill, this is all connected, everything, Bill, Russel, the queen of Louisiana, maybe even Eric too, there is something that connects them, apart from them being vampires, something that they are trying to find out, or they know and are trying to accomplish, vampires never do anything without a strictly premeditated meaning, Tara was glamoured, though she is probably not harmed, there was nothing we could do for her last night, all we could hope is that the vampire saw he lost his chance and left, and he is either working for Eric, or Russel, we are not in the position to trust either of them" Carla explained.

"Then what do you suggest?" Alcide asked her.

"Give me time to think" Carla replied, starting up the van again and pulling out at a more reasonable pace back to the apartment.

* * *

Carla managed to sleep, despite the circumstances, and woke up with no one in the house, she got out of bed and found a note from Sookie, saying her and Alcide had left to see Alcide's pack master.

Carla sat at the kitchen table, staring at the wall, thinking through all she knew about Eric, he was selling vampire blood, for the queen, but Bill had discovered this from Lafayette, so he was a threat. So Eric probably had Bill, as he said, he would deal with him personally, his word for word promise to the queen.

So how were these weres and Russel Edgington involved? Was he someone high up in the vampire royalty? A king maybe? But then what did he stand to gain from taking Bill for Eric.

Unless he knew about the queen and Eric's deal, putting Sophie-Ann at a weakness.

The door bell rung, Carla glanced out of the window, it was late afternoon, so late that the sun was beginning to disappear below the horizon, who would be calling at Alcide's?

Carla got up and looked through the spy hole of the apartment.

Shit.

She stepped away from the door, trying to remain silent, but she collided with a pan that was on the hop, causing it to noisily clatter to the floor.

"The scent definitely ends here" A man's voice from outside said.

"Did you hear that? Someone must be home" Clive.

Carla ran back to the bedroom, where Sookie had a small hand gun on the bedside table.

She clutched at it.

That was when she heard the sound of the pick being inserted into the lock.

She headed to the window, and looked down. The face of Clive's brother, Rob looked up at her.

Crap, no escape that way.

Carla ran back to the door. Time to face the one man she never wanted to look at again. She pulled it wide open, their eyes met, and he took a step forward.

She lowered the gun and fired a single bullet into his foot.

"No fucking further" Carla growled.

Clive yelped in pain, and then put his foot down into the sun light that crept into apartment building, the wound healed.

"You can't kill me La" Clive told her, as if she didn't know, in the husky voice she used to love.

"I can wait until dark, then i can, i'm in no rush" Carla's intense stare never left the face of the brown haired man, his muscles not very large, but still noticeable.

"You were never able to overpower me, i should have taken advantage of that the day you left" Clive grumbled, his body covered by the same clothes she had seen him in at Merlotte's, his hair a mess and dark circles under his eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Carla demanded, not allowing her body to shake.

"Me and Rob have been tasked with bringing you back, after the other supes failed, and you disappeared, the elders thought it was time we sent some of our own" Clive explained.

"Why?" Carla blinked, blocking any emotion but hate and contempt.

"Because the other's failed?"

"No, this is because they think i will see some sort of duty to come back, in you, some sort of promise i must repay, well no, i will not hesitate to kill you, and your brother"

"You cannot over power me" Clive corrected.

"Oh i can tear you apart, trust me" Carla growled.

A tear escaped Carla's eye and ran down her cheek.

Clive frowned, he leaned forward and wiped it away, touching her skin.

"Don't touch me" Carla whispered dangerously.

"How did we get to this?" Clive asked, as if he didn't know.

"You stood there, while Eric burned, i was shackled down because they knew i would fight, but you, you could have saved him, you're own child, and you stood there and watched him die, watched him scream" Carla lost control, tears were streaming down her face, but Clive had withdrawn his hand, looking very guilty.

"I'm so sorry, i never meant-"

"No, you can never repent for this, there is no going back, i have no more love for you, and if you don't leave, i will kill you" Carla threatened through gritted teeth.

"Carla, please, you can learn to love-"

"No, i will never listen to them again, let them send more, all will fall before my wrath, my pure unbridled fury" Carla never lowered the gun, and prevented him from entering.

"La, please" Clive looked desperate, even repentant.

"You don't even get to call me that anymore" Carla snarled, shaking her head. The sun only remained as a slither on the horizon.

"Looks like your time's running out" Carla said.

"Maybe it's time" Clive shrugged, smiling.

Sookie and Alcide came jogging up the stair well, followed by Rob, who was holding the weres shoulder.

"Stop this and come with us, you know you can't run forever" Rob growled, his skinny body more dangerous than Clive, considering his specialization.

"Carla, who the fuck are these guys?" Alcide asked, irritated.

"Don't fight Alcide, just don't fight" Carla reassured.

"We've played you into a corner, now come with us and i will spare your friends" Rob yelled over the were's sholder.

"You've gotta be joking, you're as skinny as a sheet of paper, you haven't got a chance" Sookie chipped in.

"Sookie, trust me, he's more dangerous than he looks" Carla corrected.

"You're joking?" Alcide asked.

"No, she most definitely is not" Rob said to the were.

Carla took her chance, and swung the gun to Rob's face, as the sun finally disappeared, it skimmed the side of his head, but he managed to avoid the fatal shot.

She bashed her arm into Clive's throat, and propelled her foot into his stomach, making him fall to the ground.

When she looked up Alcide flew down the corridor, causing a sizable dent in the wall at the end of the hall. Rob was then threatening Sookie with a ball of writhing green energy.

"One more move and this one dies" Rob threatened.

Out of no-where Rob was thrown to the ground by Bill, who then turned to Sookie.

"You need to go! Now! It's not safe! It's to late for me!" Bill started babbling.

Clive was beginning to stand up, so Carla placed her foot on the man's chest, preventing him from standing up.

"You appear out of no where and that's all you have to say to me? What am i running from?!" Sookie yelled at Bill.

"There's no time! Quickly-"

There was a bang from downstairs in the apartment building, on the ground floor.

Carla left the man and grabbed Alcide and Sookie, pulling them into the house.

"They can't get in if they're not invited!" Carla yelled, referring to the imminent vampire attack.

"No!" Bill shouted, as he was grabbed and restrained by some of the vampires that were now at the top of the stairs.

Coot ran into the apartment after them.

"Come on in!" He yelled, and the vampires flooded in, Carla smashed a wooden dining chair and managed to stake some of the invading vampires, before Russel pinned her against the wall.

"I think that's enough from you, missy" The vampire grinned. "Get the Stackhouse girl" He ordered the werewolf.

"I'm coming to getcha!" the were teased Sookie, as he cornered her, Alcide was knocked out, supposedly from a punch from Coot.

"Maybe not!" Sookie raised her hand and light shone from it, throwing Coot back across the room, and knocking him out.

Russel laughed out loud.

"Fantastic!" He yelled, exceptionally pleased with Sookie's now exposed powers.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for spending your time to read my fanfic, i hope to see you back in the next chapter for an update!**

**Amelia, that may be in the works, or something of the sort, but not in this season per say, i'm still debating, but thanks for telling me what you thought! :)**

**-Shad out**


	23. Mississippi

**Welcome back! hope you enjoy :)X**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-three - Mississippi

* * *

Shortly after the so called raid, Sookie and Carla, along with Clive and Bill were dragged into a grand white mansion, vampires in black attire like undead bouncers were everywhere.

Carla was dropped onto the white floor, and a body guard stood behind her, in case she protested in some way.

Eric, who Carla was no surprised to see, walked out of one of the rooms adjoining the hall way, Clive was thrown down onto his knees beside her, his nose and knuckles were bloodied, he stretched his neck back, looking up at the ceiling, and then around the room.

Sookie was thrown to one of the more extravagantly dressed vampires, as Lorena slowly descended the stairs to watch the situation.

Bill was thrown to the ground at the bottom of the stairs.

"Well, guess who was completely unworthy of our trust?" Russel said to the vampire holding Sookie, his fangs extended.

"No?" The vampire replied, faking surprise.

"Why? What's happened?" Lorena asked, looking worried.

"He was keeping something very interesting from us all" Russel said, looking at Sookie.

Carla noticed Eric's eyes on her, shifting between her and Clive, trying to silently understand the situation.

Bill yanked a shard of wood from the banister he was thrown near, and jabbed it through a vampire bouncer.

Carla took her chance, and did the same, beheading the bouncer near her, and then turning on Russel.

Before she could act, she was pinned against the wall, her hand that was holding the banister was held at the wrist, preventing her from acting, and a hand held her gently round the throat. Clive tried to stand up, but he was held in place by a vampire bouncer.

"Stop" Eric's husky voice growled at her.

She could see into his head this close, she felt his overwhelming jealousy.

Bill had been thrown into the ceiling above the stairs and he laid sprawled out on the marble steps, the banister still in hand.

Russel laughed at them both.

"Are you serious? I am almost three thousand years old!" He mocked the two of them.

Carla dropped her weapon, her eyes locked on Eric's.

The vampire that was holding Sookie let her go to place his hand on his head, upset over the damage to the house, it seemed.

Sookie ran to Bill, but Eric moved in her way, leading her back down the steps to Russel.

"Eric! Get her outta here! Please!" Bill shouted over Russel's maniacal laugh.

"Eric! What are you doing?" Sookie shouted, struggling against the vampire.

"I wouldn't let go of this if i were you, i don't know what it is, but it's quite valuable" Eric said, standing next to Russel, who grinned up at him.

Sookie and Bill looked shocked. Carla not at all.

She ran across the room and kicked Eric in the chest, making him flop on the ground, she was surprised at even herself, being stronger than Eric, it must have been Godric's essence, the essence he had given her in death.

Russel grabbed her by the arms, restraining her, Eric used his vamp speed to get up quickly, his fangs extended, and his ribs slowly healing to correct his concave chest.

He hissed at her.

"Missy, you really are a live wire, in normal circumstances i would admire that, but please stop trying to kill my guests, before i kill you" Russel threatened in a playful tone.

"Fuck you Northman!" Was simply all she said, Eric smiled, but this was a forced smile, unlike him, he was under Russel's thumb too, he had become a puppet to the puppet master of Mississippi.

"I've not had the pleasure of tasting it, but all my instincts say it would be quite extraordinary" Eric told the king, refering to Sookie.

"I will never, ever, forgive you for this" Sookie tried to sound threatening, Russel didn't let Carla go.

"Oh, it thinks we're equals" Eric teased, glancing at Russel.

"Oh but it's wrong, isn't it?" Russel's grip was to strong for Carla to resist.

"Indeed" Eric agreed, the two chuckled.

"Do you care nothing about our home?!" The vampire that was holding Sookie previously asked Russel.

"Talbot, not now!" Russel grumbled, shaking his head.

"WHEN?!" Talbot demanded, storming off up the stairs, muttering in another language.

"What are you going to do with our Mr Compton?" Lorena asked. "If i may ask?"

"Marco, Klaus, take Compton to the slave quarters" Russel ordered, handing Carla to Eric to hold.

"There my dear, you will kill him" Russel informed Lorena.

"But-" Lorena began.

"DO NOT DEFY ME!" Russel turned around and threatened her. "I AM YOUR KING!"

Lorena nodded sadly. "Your majesty" She agreed.

"Take Ms Stackhouse and this other two into the library Eric, i want to ask them a few questions after i repair the state of my marriage" Russel began walking up the stairs, following Talbot.

"Bill, i will get you out of here!" Sookie promised.

"Eric! Save her i beg you! Carla! Please!" Bill begged, as he was dragged out.

"If you kill him! I will kill you" Sookie warned Lorena, she drew her fangs and approached the woman.

"Oh please, please try!" She growled. "Without that sanctimonious little prick Godric to save you, i would just love to rip you open and wear your rib cage, as a hat!" Lorena threatened.

Eric and Carla growled at her in unison after her insult towards Godric.

Lorena then walked out of the mansion, following the men holding Bill.

"Please tell me that was just an act" Carla said to Eric, who let her go.

"I don't think anyone plays the king of Mississippi and get away with it" Eric said, looking down at Carla. "I certainly have no intentions of trying"

Eric grabbed Carla by the shoulder, and pulled Clive up onto his feet.

"This way" He ordered. Walking the three of them towards the library.

"What are you even doing here? Is this about Bill knowing about your whole V arrangement?" Carla asked, Clive gave her a strange glance.

"No, i need to think, don't take this the wrong way, but shut up" Eric grumbled.

"Eric, please-" Sookie started, but Eric covered her mouth.

"Thank you" He sat them all down on the same couch in the library.

"So all that stuff about caring about me? Was that all just crap?" Carla asked out right, as Eric paced up and down the room, Clive glanced confused at her again.

"I never said that exactly" Eric corrected. "Besides, it looks like you've found a face from the past" He indicated Clive. "And who is this?" He asked.

"Clive" Clive growled. "and who the fuck are you, apart from a dead man?" He asked.

"Is this the father?" Eric asked Carla. She was hesitant, then she nodded.

"How weak you must be, can't even protect your own child, your own partner" Eric tutted.

"What would you know about it?" Clive stood up from the seat, stiffening his shoulders, ready for confrontation.

"Oh, a lot, including her bedroom skills, they are quite exquisite" Eric's signature smirk filled his face.

Clive fumed.

"You gave yourself to this dead cunt?" Clive glanced behind at Carla, who had her hand on her fore head.

"Yes Clive, you don't have any control over me, but i'm starting to realize that was also a mistake" Carla admitted.

"Well look at that, you're just another in a long line of mistakes and regrets" Clive had turned back to Eric, he was shorter than the man, but had a similar physic.

Eric growled, producing his fangs.

Clive chuckled.

"Split it up" Carla ordered, the two didn't move until Russel came walking into the room, Eric turned and smiled at the vampire.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, a husbands work is never done" Russel admitted.

Clive fell back onto the couch next to Carla.

"Leave us" Russel ordered Eric, and he did so without hesitation.

"Now, tell me what you are" Russel started with Sookie.

"I'm a waitress" she said.

"Yes, and i am Marie of Romania, i'm a very patient man, Mrs Stackhouse, one can afford to be when one is immortal, but my patience is not without limits" He informed them.

"We don't know what she is, neither does she, she's been like it since she was a child" Carla explained.

"I was not asking you" Russel growled. "Little live wire, you're after, wait your turn" He ordered.

"She's right, i don't know what i am" Sookie admitted.

"You're definitely not human" Russel told her.

"My parents were human" Sookie said.

"How do you know that? Better how do you know that they were your parents?" Russel asked.

"My Grandfather was like me"

"Which is?" Russel asked.

"I can hear peoples thoughts, and shifters, werewolves, not vampires" Sookie explained. Russel grinned.

"How dreadful that must be?" He said.

"Oh you have no idea"

"I mean who cares what anyone else is thinking"

"Is Lorena going to kill Bill?" Sookie asked him.

"If she knows what's good for her, but she'll take her time, he's been her drug of choice for centuries now, it's going to be hard for her to let go" Russel replied.

"Please, you can stop her!" Sookie teared up a little.

"Why would you want to? Are you aware that Bill has been keeping a secret file on you?" Russel got up and got a file from his desk, handing it to Sookie.

Sookie took it and looked through the documents, Carla glanced over to look, there were pictures of her, Sam, the people at Merlotte's even Carla along with Sookie's family tree, with her name, and her grandfather's name circled.

"What are you besides a Telopath? What makes that light come out of your hands?" Russel asked.

Sookie shook her head, she didn't know.

"Oh don't make me force it out of you" Russel threatened.

"I don't know!" Sookie exclaimed, frightened. "I never even know i could do it until recently, and i don't know what i am, maybe i'm an alien? All i know is it's something big, so i wouldn't hurt me or anyone i care about" She shrugged, trying to protect them.

"Any other powers?" Russel asked.

"Once a threw a chain at someone, and it wrapped around his neck like that crab from alien, but that's all" Sookie admitted.

Russel chuckled. "Well, not wonder the queen is so fascinated by you"

Russel called two of his henchmen in.

"Take the Stackhouse girl and the man to Bill's room and lock them in, i will talk to this girl now" Russel said.

Carla sat up, spreading her arms along the couch.

Once they were alone Russel grinned.

"Tell me about Sookie" He said.

"I don't know much about her, he's just a girl, she can read peoples thoughts, some peoples anyway, i met her a couple of months ago, we are both waitresses at a bar" Carla outlined, remaining relaxed around this mostly insane and unstable vampire.

"And what are you?" Russel asked, knitting his hands together and resting his chin on them.

"What do you mean? What am i?" Carla asked. "I'm human"

Russel chuckled.

"Of course, with that sort of speed and power, you're not human" Russel informed her.

"I've had a lot of vampire blood" Carla shrugged.

Russel laughed.

"Don't test me girl" He warned. "I'll kill your precious partner"

"Hardly precious, go ahead, save me a job" Carla smiled.

Russel was starting to become agitated, he called in a vampire guard.

"Get the man back, i wish to talk to him, make her presentable for Eric, i am sure he's hungry" Russel grinned, Carla maintained a neutral face.

The man dragged her away, he stripped her off and tied her wrists, before bringing her into Eric's room, he was up from the bed within seconds.

"Russel sends this one a your meal for the night" The guard said, Eric looked Carla up and down, producing a smile.

"If he insists, thank you" the guard left.

"You're not serious?" Carla asked.

"If he sees you without a bite wound, he is going to ask questions about my loyalty" Eric explained.

Carla sighed. "So this is an act" She confirmed.

Carla had been taken down to her white underwear, most of her flesh exposed.

"This face isn't though" Eric admitted, with a grin.

Carla rolled her eyes.

"We both know, specially you, that there is nothing between us, mostly because of shit on your end, please just get this over with"

Carla tilted her head to the side, allowing him access to her jugular.

He leaned down and laid his hand on her shoulder, his other hand on her cheek, she relaxed in his grip, letting her manipulate her body.

She leaned forward against him, he supported her with his body, laying kisses from her shoulder up to her pulsing throat.

He produced his fangs and bit her as gently as he could. She prevented herself from gasping, as it brought back memories of the night in Dallas and the things they shared.

He threaded his arm under hers, laying it spread on her back, holding her close to him.

Blood slipped down both sides of her shoulder as he drank from her.

Without warning he pulled away, withdrawing his fangs at the same time.

He licked the fluid from his lips, still slightly stooped over her.

Carla placed her hands on the vampire's shoulders, making him look at her.

She reached up and ran her thumb along his jaw line, he kept glancing at her lips.

Fuck it.

Carla pulled him into a powerful kiss, nipping his bottom lip with her teeth gently, he let out a low husky growl of pleasure.

Eric pressed her back against the door, running his hands down from her shoulders, over her arms, and then breasts, hips, hanging there at her waist. Not sure whether go further.

Carla pushed the vampire back towards the large double bed that occupied the center of the room, pushing him onto it, and the climbing on top of him, straddling his lap.

The two continued to kiss until a knock sounded at the door.

"Mr Northman, Russel requests your presence before dawn" A voice informed them.

Carla released the vampire, kneeling on the bed as he got up and headed towards the door, glancing back at her before he left, with a large grin on his face.

Carla started to regret what she just did already.

* * *

Carla heard an incredible ruckus outside her door, she didn't know how long it had been, but Eric had not returned yet.

She went for the door, and across the hall the doors of the room where open, thankfully her door was not locked.

Sookie and Tara were standing over a man, probably a werewolf, holding heavy instruments in their hands which they had apparently bludgeoned him with, there was no sign of Clive.

"What the hell is going on?" Carla asked, walking out of the room.

Tara grabbed her by the arm, and Sookie too.

"We need to get out of here, now, while we have a chance!" Tara pulled her down the corridor, apparently not noticing that Carla was barely dressed.

They hurried down the stairs towards the front door.

"He has werewolves patroling the ground by day, but if we can get to one of his cars and hot wire it, we might be able to-"

"What about Bill? He's in the slave quarters" Sookie butted in.

"What? He was covered in blood! He was gonna kill me! I'm not risking my life to save his dead ass and neither should you!" Tara complained.

Carla sighed.

"He may not be dead yet and they forced him to do all that stuff!" Sookie argued.

"Listen, we need to be quick, i will go with Sookie to get Bill, when you get a car come to get us from that small house at the end of the garden, that's the slave quarters" Carla cut in, heading to the door, ignoring the fact she was half naked.

Her and Sookie edged their way down the tree line towards the hut.

Laughing and talking came from inside, and quickly spilled out into the outside.

Debbie and Coot ran out of the house, their mouths covered in blood, Bill's, Carla guessed.

Carla turned to Sookie and put her finger over her lips, telling her to be quiet.

"This is fucking intense!" Debbie giggled.

"This is how it's always going to be with me baby!" Coot told her.

They started kissing, Debbie jumping on Coot, wrapping he legs around him.

"You taste like fucking life itself" Debbie moaned.

"I will do, anything for you!" Coot told her.

"You'll take me to forever young and buy me whatever i want?" Debbie asked.

"Even better, i'll steal it for you!" He laughed.

"You fucking lunatic!" She gasped for air.

"I love you you hot bitch!" They kissed again. "Hotter than hell, hottest bitch it town and i fucking own you!"

They ran off towards the trees.

"Come on" Carla said once they had disappeared.

"Trash" Sookie commented on the weres.

Sookie ran inside the house and found Bill chained to the ground, covered in blood, Lorena no where to be found.

Carla was more cautious than Sookie, who ran straight over to him yelling his name to try and wake him.

Carla felt the presence behind her first, Lorena was still here, lurking somewhere in the darkness.

She ran over to Sookie.

"I love you, Bill Compton i am not about to let you go!" she told Bill.

"Well isn't that heart warming" Lorena's voice caused silence to fall in the room, Carla raised her eyes to the vampire.

She grabbed Sookie and flung her against the wall, she fell to her knees.

Carla turned around and kicked out at the vampire, she fell to the floor over Bill.

Bill clutched her around the throat with the silver chains he was restrained with, holding her still.

"Quickly!" He managed "Stake her!" He ordered.

Sookie was already on it, bringing a wooden stick with a sharp end over to them.

"Do it!"Bill said, holding the vampire still on him.

Sookie looked unsure.

"William, i love you" Lorena said, spreading her arms wide.

"You wouldn't know love if it kicked you in the fangs!" Sookie shouted at the vampire, staking her.

Blood poured everywhere and Bill fell still, drained of energy, but not dead.

Carla crouched down next to the vampire and shook him.

"Bill?!" Sookie and Carla said at the same time.

Carla heard the revving of a car outside, and assumed Tara had been successful.

"Quick, we need to cover him if we are going to get him to the car, find the key to the manacles, she must have had them" Carla picked up the large sheet of canvas Bill had been lying on and moved it closer to where he had held Lorena still.

Sookie tried to look for the keys, moving lumps of vampire out of the way.

Tara and Alcide came running in, looking down at the two women.

"Is he dead?" Tara asked straight away.

"No, but he's going to be soon if we don't hurry" Carla said, dragging his body onto the canvas, ready to wrap him in it.

"Are you sure? Because he looks dead" Tara said.

"He is not dead! When vampires are dead, this is what they look like!" Sookie yelled, indicating the lumps of what was left of Lorena.

"Jesus Christ!" Tara was shaking all over.

"Ladies we have got to get out of here, there are wolves crawling all over this place" Alcide informed them, looking very tense.

"I know" Sookie said, going to Bill's feet end, ready to lift him while he was inside the canvas roll.

"It's only a matter of time before-"

"She said, i know" Carla interrupted Alcide.

"Help me carry him!" Carla added.

"We don't have time for this" Tara grumbled.

"I am not leaving here without him" Sookie croaked out.

The door opened again, and Debbie strolled in, gun in hand.

"Oh? Vampire borreto? For me? You shouldn't have" she joked, raising the gun.

The four of them stood up, taking a step back from Bill and from Debbie.

"Debbie, just let the others go, you've got nothing to say to them, you and me we can talk" Alcide tried to negotiate.

"Fuck you! I'm the one with the gun ain't no one going no where!" Debbie swung the gun around dangerously, aiming it at all of them.

"Sweetheart-"

"I ain't your sweetheart no more, now give me a minute to think!" Debbie was panting heavily, she was nervous.

"Don't even think about it bitch!" Sookie spoke up.

"Well you sure chose a bad time to call me bitch, bitch!" Debbie threw back, aiming the gun at her.

"Sookie, don't do that" Tara told her.

"Sookie I've got this!" Alcide interrupted.

"You ain't got shit!" Debbie turned the gun back onto Alcide.

"Yes i have! There ain't no way you're pulling that trigger!" Alcide shouted back.

Carla took her chance while Debbie was fixated on Alcide, she ran at her, with a swift movement the blonde turned and fired, hitting Carla right in the chest.

Carla fell to her knees.

Alcide took advantage and grabbed the gun from Debbie, turning the tables.

Carla collapsed onto her back, blood rushing from her body.

Sookie ran to her side, grabbing her hand. "Carla!"

"Sun..." Carla managed, her eyes drooping shut.

"We need her out in the sun! NOW!" Sookie shouted, Tara grabbed her ankles, with Sookie behind her shoulders, they dropped Carla out in the strong midday sun.

The hole in her chest began to pull itself back together, pushing the bullet out of her chest, it tumbled off her chest and onto the grass.

Carla was shocked back to life, her body spasming as her heart jolted back into rhythm, and her organs regained function.

She sat up straight, renewed.

"Thank you" she gasped, finding her voice again, she stood up straight again. "Can you get Bill?" She said calmly, getting back up to open the back of Alcide's truck ready to put Bill in it.

Carla went to cab, when she saw the flash of someone running into the house.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" She heard Coot's voice yelling.

Alcide didn't hesitate, he raised the gun and shot the man in the chest, he fell to his knees. Alcide shot him again, this time in the head. Debbie screamed and wailed. Carla heard it from outside, and walking inside the door, but not too close.

"Oh my god! Oh my fucking god!" Debbie fell down next to the body of the man, sobbing.

"I'm sorry Debbie, he didn't leave me any choice" Alcide admitted.

"You had a choice! And you picked a fucking fang banger over one of your own!" Debbie's anger started to set in, she stood up, pointing an accusing finger at Sookie.

"Go on! Get him in the van" Alcide said, aiming the gun at Debbie's head. "I'll be right out"

The two women picked the vampire up, rolled in the tarp and protected from the day light, they carried him outside and put him in the back of Alcide's van.

"I'm riding in the back with Bill! Close the door" Sookie told them.

"Sook, he ain't gonna make it, don't do this to yourself" Tara begged.

Carla closed the door.

A howl sounded over the estate, and the padding of were feet getting closer became louder.

"We need to go" Carla said. Alcide ran round to the drivers side, and Carla and Tara to the other side, Alcide got the van started.

At least six weres appeared from the trees surrounding the mansions gardens, and followed the slower than required van.

Tara stared at the wind mirror, across Carla's lap, as she was closest to the door.

"We need to go faster!" She informed them.

The van wouldn't go any faster.

Carla opened the door, unbuckling her seat belt.

"Keep driving, i'll catch up, make a stop so i can get in when you're on the parish road" Carla told Alcide, who nodded in agreement.

She dropped out of the van, morphing in mid air, she took one wolf out immediately, by being straight in his path, with a mouth of sharp teeth.

She jumped from one dead wolf onto the on coming ones, knocking them out of the way with the weight of her body, and catching some in her dangerous jaws.

Once most of the wolves lay dead, and the rest of them were fleeing, she took off in the direction of the smell of gasoline, following it until she caught up with the van on the parish road.

Alcide pulled the van over and got out, along with Tara, Carla morphed back, she knocked on the back of the truck to see if Sookie was okay.

No answer.

Carla tapped again.

Still no answer.

Carla and Tara banged their fists against the back of the truck.

Yet again no answer.

Tara reached for the lock, Carla didn't protest.

"Hey! The sun!" Alcide tried to say.

"Do you think i care?" Tara asked, raising the back of the van so they could see inside.

"Sookie?!" Tara shouted.

Sookie was laid out on the floor of the truck, Bill next to her, she had two bites on either side of her neck, and a cut on her arm, blood all over her, unresponsive to them, completely out of it.

Bill stood up inside the truck at the introduction of the sun light, he saw Sookie.

"What happened?!" He seemed shocked.

Carla grabbed Bill by the shoulder, pulling him out of the back of the truck, and onto the dirt.

"We need to get her to a hospital!" Alcide said, heading back round the the drivers seat to get moving.

"Stay in the back with Sookie!" Carla ordered Tara. She took one more look at Bill, left out in the sun, he wasn't burning, but she was sure he would soon.

"Never come back" She told Bill. She ran to the passenger seat, as Alcide sped along the road to the nearest hospital.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and thanks for all your supportive words in the form of reviews, as well as favourites and follows, as well as just views!**

**Please tell me what you thought about this chapter, until next time,**

**-Shad out ;)**


	24. Backtracking

**Welcome back to another chapter, thanks for coming back, hope you enjoy this one! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-four - Backtracking

* * *

Upon arrival Sookie was crowded by doctors and nurses, covering her wounds and rushing to treat her.

Alcide, Carla and Tara were told to sit in the waiting area, and the doctor would inform them of any news when they knew it.

Alcide had given Carla some clothes from he truck, a pair of shorts that looked more like bagged three quarter lengths on her, and a baggy shirt.

Carla and Alcide were sat in the soft hospital chairs, as if already trying to comfort them and cushion the impact of what might happen to Sookie. Tara however was pacing back and forth, trying to hold back tears.

"Miss Thornton?" A doctor came over to Tara, the three of them got up, gathering round the doctor to hear what she had to say about Sookie.

"How is she?" Tara asked.

"She's lost a lot of blood"

"How much blood?" Tara said.

"A lot"

"Oh my god" Tara started playing with her fingers, stressed out.

"Well what about a transfusion?" Alcide asked.

"We tried, her body rejected it" The doctor told them.

"Well, maybe you gave her the wrong type of blood?" Tara asked. "You checked it first right i mean you better not have taken a fucking guess?!" Tara's lip quivering, her eyes as round as saucers.

"Your friend doesn't have a blood type" the doctor told them.

"What?" Tara asked.

"Everybody has a blood type?" Alcide was confused.

"Exactly" the doctor nodded. "But for whatever reason we couldn't establish hers"

"Shit" Carla muttered, rubbing her face with her hands.

"We are running out of time, so i have put in an order for O negative, O neg is universal donor, but your friend, i have never seen a reaction like that before" The doctor was dumb founded.

Tara began to sob.

"You can come and see her, we have put her on a ward waiting for the delivery, though O neg is very rare, it may not be here in time" The doctor admitted, leading them to where Sookie was laying in a bed.

"I'm sorry, i'm afraid you will have to notify the family" The doctor said, before walking away to leave them with Sookie. She was intubated and had IV fluids, as well as being patched up where she had been bitten and cut.

Carla waited for the doctors to disappear and for Tara to go and call Jason, she pulled the curtain across the cubicle.

"Alcide, do you have a knife?" She asked.

"What for?" Alcide looked very confused.

"I can save her, but the doctors can't know about it, okay?"

Alcide took a moment to think about it, and then he nodded in agreement. "Do it" He said, handing her a pocket knife.

"Thank you" Carla said, popping out the knife and cutting across the middle of her arm, exposing a vein.

She made sure she was not in the sun, and pulled the connector between Sookie's IV line and the fluids out, inserting it into her vein. The blood flowed along it and into Sookie, she didn't react, which was a good sign.

Now they could only wait.

* * *

Well into the afternoon, Sookie opened her eyes, looking around the room.

Tara had fallen asleep in a sofa next to the window, with Alcide next to her.

Jason and Lafayette were still driving to the hospital from Bon Temps.

Sookie and Carla were alone.

Sookie sat up straight and Carla pulled the connector out of her vein, putting her arm under the sunlight to let it heal.

She used the stopper on Sookie's IV to stop the flow into her.

"Are you okay? How do you feel?" Carla asked Sookie, she was very tense and nervous.

"Umm... i'm okay, i just need some time of quiet, do... do you know where Bill is?" She asked Carla.

"I pushed him out into the sun, so he may be dead by now, i don't know for sure though" Carla explained, lowering her arm and leaning on the side of the hospital bed.

"Okay" Sookie said, rubbing her arms to try and comfort herself.

"Do you need anything?" Carla asked her.

"No, honestly, i am just fine" Sookie assured her.

"Listen Sookie, i need to go back" Carla started slowly, trying to be gentle.

"Back? Where?"

"Back to Russel, i need to find Clive, if he still has him he could be spouting anything about me, what i can do, i can't have that, plus Eric..."

"Don't say Eric, i thought you two were done" Sookie whimpered, still sensitive.

"Nothing with Eric is ever done, you should know that more than anyone, he's just as much a prisoner as we were" Carla argued, though not raising her voice at the blonde.

"Well i can't stop you, can i?" Sookie asked.

"No, no you can't, i am very sorry Sookie" Carla apologized.

"It's not your fault, like you said, our heads don't choose, our hearts do" She smiled.

"Stay safe and get some rest Sookie" Carla said.

Carla walked over to wake up Tara. She shook her once and she shot awake.

"Sookie's awake" Carla started.

Tara lunged to move, but Carla held her in place.

"I am leaving, so i need you to promise me you will keep her safe, do not let Russel get her back, can you promise me?" Carla asked.

"Bitch? Where the fuck you goin'?" Carla didn't reply, but Tara must have read the look on her face. "Oh hell no, you are not going back there? Is you crazy?"

"Promise me" Carla repeated.

The woman shrugged, knowing she couldn't change her mind now.

"Fine" Tara agreed.

Carla got up and went back to Sookie's side, kissing her on the forehead.

"Be safe" She said, smiling at the blonde.

Sookie simply nodded as Tara got up to say hello.

Carla walked out of the hospital, and when she was out of sight, she morphed, heading in the direction of the vampire mansion. Not sure if her decision was the best one.

* * *

Upon her arrival, she noticed it was mighty quiet, she had managed to get into the view of the mansion without being spotted by any wolves or vampires, since the sun had set on her way there, Carla decided simply to approach the mansion in her human form, of course, and use the excuse that she came back to silence her compatriot.

As soon as she stepped out of the bushes, she was almost immediately noticed and incarcerated by three vampire guards.

She managed to get a punch off into one of them, sending him flying back, but two more came in his place, restraining her.

She didn't know how old they were, but four vampires holding her still she simply couldn't fight.

She was dragged up the gardens and through the front door.

"Sir, we found this one in the gardens, approaching the house" One of the vampires explained to Russel, who was standing by the stairs with Talbot.

"Mrs Carla Thompson, how good to see you, i feared you had left us" Russel turned to Carla, who's eyes widened considerably.

"How-"

"Well you're husband has told me a very colorful story about you and himself" Russel explained.

"Sorry to interrupt" Eric said, walking in from another room. "There's a were bitch in your study" Eric glanced at Carla, a worried look in his eye.

"Go, while i babysit your wife" Talbot said, straightening his shirt, and walking upstairs with many muttered words.

"Eric, would you please restrain this one and come with me into the study" Russel said, walking past Eric into the study.

"Of course your majesty" Eric grabbed Carla, pulling her arms back so she couldn't move them, walking into the study with her.

"What's up pumpkin?" Russel asked the were, which turned out to be Debbie.

"They killed my Cooter!" Debbie winged.

"Aww, he died a hero" Russel walked behind his desk.

"He weren't no hero, he just wanted to do some V and have a little fun, and they shot him in the heart!" Debbie winged, she turned and saw Carla in Eric's restraint.

"She was with them! I shot her in the chest! How the fuck are you still alive, bitch?" Debbie looked her up and down as if she might actually be there.

"Well, magic" Carla said sarcastically.

Debbie stepped forward and punched Carla in the face, on her cheek, to be exact, her cheek impacted into the serrated portion of her teeth, and began to bleed. She spat out the blood onto the carpet.

Carla pulled against Eric, but he held her firm.

"Let me go, i will fucking rip you apart!" Carla yelled at Debbie.

"Let me rip this bitches head off, and then i'll go after the rest of them!" Debbie begged Russel. He chuckled.

"I like your energy, what do you think Northman?" Russel asked.

"He thinks you should let me go so i can paint the walls in here a new shade of deep crimson, free of charge" Carla tried to pull away from Eric again, but he refused to let her go.

"I enjoy a good head ripping as much as the next vampire, but in this case it may be wise to consider the value of the heads in question" Eric said.

"You mean the Stackhouse girl? Yeah, she's something special, isn't she?" Russel considered.

"She fucked my boyfriend and made him shoot my fiancee, she's a cunt!" Debbie interjected.

"But she's a special cunt" Russel corrected. "And of course our special death cheater here too" Russel indicated Carla. "Oh don't you worry darling, i'll let you play with her first" Russel told Debbie, before waving her out.

"Respectfully sir, considering the recent turn of events, bringing Sookie into this may not be the best idea" Eric stepped forward with Carla, holding her still after Debbie had left the room.

"That's exactly why i need her, i may have inadvertently started a war tonight, Ms Stackhouse could be my secret weapon, along with this one, they seem to make a deadly team" Russel countered.

"Sookie's abilities are unpredictable at best, and like most humans she is ruled by petty emotions, i would not trust her" Eric replied.

Russel used his vampire speed to get up from his seat and push Carla from Eric's arms onto the ground, and stand in front of Eric.

"Hmm, the real question is, can i trust you?" Russel said, looking the vampire up and down. "You turned on your queen, and now that I've freed your feisty little ward how do i know you won't sell me out too?"

Eric became completely serious, he met the vampire kings gaze.

"Because I've been searching for you for a thousand years" Eric started, his gaze not faltering. "A true leader, one strong enough to unite us all, i believed my maker, Godric was such a vampire, but he was weak, he succumbed to his humanity and it killed him, dispatching the Magister tonight proved that my search, its is finally over" Eric explained, Carla was concentrating on trying to read his mind, see inside his head, what was he scheming, why was he doing this, but it was fuzzy and blurred.

"That was rash and foolish" Russel said.

"It was brave and uncompromising" Eric corrected. Russel smiled.

"Vampires had yearned for somebody to stand up to the tyranny of the authority for centuries" Eric reached down and picked the king's hand up from where it was hanging at his side, kissing his ring. "Just five me the chance, and i will show you just how deep my loyalty runs" Eric looked back up at the King, who was convinced.

The king nodded. "A meal in celebration of our allegiance?" He glanced down at Carla, indicating who was the meal.

"I would be honored" Eric answered.

Carla scrambled backwards, trying to get up, but Russel grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her towards the vampires.

Eric was less forward, he produced his fangs and grabbed her round the neck, tilting it to the side and biting into her, less painful than Russel, who went for the vein between her legs, tearing at her flesh, forcing the blood from her.

She forced herself to bit her lip so she didn't scream, not giving Russel mostly, the satisfaction.

Carla blacked out, her eyes refusing to remain open, her muscles feeling as though a heavy weight was being pushed down on them.

* * *

Carla was woken by the pressure on her mouth and the liquid flowing down her throat, energizing her body, making her strong and aroused.

She opened her eyes to see Eric's short, soft hair next to her face, and his neck at her lips.

He was holding her in his arms, and he had the bleeds, it must have been past morning.

Eric pulled Carla away, as he could see she couldn't stop herself on her own.

Carla took a deep breath, regaining control of herself.

"Thank you" She said, sitting up in Eric's lap, licking his blood off her lips.

"Why did you come back?" Eric asked, his fangs poking out behind his lips.

"Because..." Carla sighed, and stood up, realizing her lack of clothes, she had a partially see through overcoat on, made of silk, with silky underwear on.

"Because?" Eric encouraged.

"Because no matter how much i tell myself that you'll never change, i cannot stop myself from loving you" Carla sighed, her muscles relaxing. Carla looked down at her body, admiring her attire, though she would have liked to be more clothed.

"Russel insisted, their from Sophie-Ann's female companion" Eric explained, not knowing what else to say.

"Did he insist you feed me your blood as well" Carla asked, turning to Eric.

"First he said he would, but i managed to persuade him" Eric admitted.

Carla turned back to the vampire, he was sat on his bed with a thin cloth dressing gown on.

"You should get some sleep" Carla said, seeing the blood running down from his ears and nose.

"I will, but first i need to ask you a favor" Eric said.

"Well get on with it" Carla shrugged.

"I need you to ask Sophie-Ann's human, she was there when we went to visit her together, she is Sookie's cousin, her name is Hadley" Carla nodded her understanding of Eric's words.

"I need you to tell her to get a message to Sookie, these exact words, Russel is coming for her, don't trust Bill" Eric continued.

"Any reason why?" Carla asked.

"Just those words" Eric told her.

Carla shrugged. "Fine" Carla noticed the shackles on the bed, they were new.

"What are those?" Carla asked.

"Russel-"

"Insisted?" Carla interrupted him, he nodded.

"Fine, i'll be right back" Carla turned away, heading out into the corridor, as she came out of the door, closing it behind her, the one opposite opened, and the woman in question walked out.

She stepped out and closed the door before she noticed Carla opposite her.

"Hadley?" Carla asked, and the human froze, shaking with fear.

"Don't worry" Carla whispered. "Eric has told me to tell you you need to get a message to Sookie" Hadley shook her head.

"I haven't seen Sookie in-"

"Shh" Carla shushed her. "That doesn't matter now, you need to tell her this, and this exactly. Russel is coming for you, don't trust Bill" Carla told her, and she looked very frightened, just by Carla, she wondered how terrified she must be around vampires.

Hadley nodded and walked off down the corridor, supposedly to go and see Sookie.

Carla went back into her room, not looking forward to the long night in which she would be tied to the bed next to Eric.

* * *

Carla slept most of the night, thankfully, with Eric next to her she felt much more safe.

However her sound sleep was awoken by Eric rushing into the room, covering in blood, completely naked.

"We need to leave" He informed her.

"Why? What's wrong? What's happened?" Carla asked, as Eric ran around the room pulling on trousers and a shirt.

"I killed Talbot" Eric said simply.

"What?!" Carla asked.

"We need to get Pam" Eric walked over to Carla picking her up from the bed and rushing out of the mansion at vampire speed and taking off into the sky.

* * *

They arrived at Fangtasia within the hour, and Eric ran into his office, where Pam was standing at the desk taking off her jacket.

He dropped Carla onto her legs. Only then did she notice he was carrying a golden band, engraved as a crown in his hand.

"We need sanctuary!" Eric told Pam, pacing up and down the room like a caged, nervous animal.

"Oh my god, what have you done?" Pam asked, glancing between the two, looking for an answer.

"He killed the lover of Russel Edgington, a vampire" Carla said, taking Pam's jacket to cover herself.

"Are you insane?!" Pam asked, now looking nervous too.

"WHERE CAN WE GO?!" Eric yelled, getting back to the point.

Pam gasped, "A human home would be safest, we've both been invited into Sookie's-"

"No!" Eric corrected her, "That's out of the question" Carla was relieve that they were not going to endanger Sookie anymore.

"You never panic. Should i be panicking?" Pam asked, her eyes wide and her lungs wanting unnecessary air.

Ginger closed the door from the bar and walked into the office, locking up for the night.

The three of them turned to her.

"Ginger dear, where do you like?" Eric asked.

"Cross the river in Bojer, why?" Ginger questioned.

"We need your house, now-ish" Pam said.

"This cos of the V feds?" Ginger asked.

Carla blinked. "V feds?" she asked.

"They're out in the bar, that's why I've come to get Eric" Ginger explained.

Pam and Eric were looking at each other, dire looks on their faces.

Eric had some spare clothes in the bottom draw of his desk, and Pam kept some of hers in the room too, and allowed Carla to put them on so she wasn't so exposed, though Pam's clothes were still rather revealing.

They were a pair of black leather trousers with a black cotton tank top and see through blouse. Without any shoes.

Once Carla had made sure Eric had no more of Talbot's blood on his face they headed out into the main bar, and found at least twenty sutied and booted vampire soldiers with guns, and Nan Flanagan sitting at one of the tables.

She was in full leather, she stood up and walked towards the four of them, removing her black shades.

"I'm sorry Ms Flanagan the bar is closed" Eric informed her.

"Thank you, i already ate, true blood only of course" She glanced at Carla. "Just can't stay out of trouble can you? The VRA is two states away from ratification, i should kissing asses in Oregon, not cleaning up after you in fucking Louisiana!"

"Oh i promise, there is nothing amiss in my area" Eric said calmly, a complete contrast from Nan's attitude.

"Shut the fuck up! You're making my head hurt, officers, silver him" Carla stepped forward to protect Eric, but he turned around and shook his head at her, telling her no, and she stopped in mid step.

Eric cried out at the burning of the silver on his shoulder.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review, follow and favorite if you enjoyed this chapter, whether you do or not, thank you for reading!**

**Here's your double update this week, i am having lots of trouble keeping up with work, so i may miss a few weeks, but i will try my hardest to keep updating at least once on a Tuesday if i can.**

**Until next time,**

**-Shad out! x**


	25. Repercussions

**Hello again! Good to see you back! Better than good, excellent! I hope you enjoy the chapter, and i'd like to thank you for using your time to read my story, i am honored. :D**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-five - Repercussions

* * *

Hours later Carla was sat leaning on one of the dancing poles in the bar, Eric was sat in a chair, with an area of floor cleaned of obstructions around him, while Pam leaned against the bar.

Eric particularly looked nervous about the situation, he was sat forward with his arms resting on his knees, looking towards the ground.

Nan walked in from the back, taking her leather gloves off as she walked toward Eric, he looked up to face her.

"The downstairs is clean" Nan informed him.

"Well i told you there was nothing" Eric sounded uninterested and full of self assurance.

"It's been _wiped_" Nan enunciated the last word, making it very clear what she was trying to imply.

"Well, i'm a Virgo, i like to be neat" Eric teased, maintaining his poker face.

"Your screeching fang cushion of a barmaid who's been glamoured so much she can't even remember her own last name, does know, that no one ever goes down there with so much as a mop and a promise" Nan explained, "Suddenly it's as sterile as an operating room" Nan raised her eyebrows.

"It doesn't prove anything" Eric lowered his gaze to the floor, seemingly uninterested.

"If only we had a Magister to decide that" Nan spoke up.

"What's that meant to mean?" Carla asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Vampire business, nothing to do with you, whatever the fuck you are" Nan glanced at Carla with contempt, and then turned back to Eric.

Carla scoffed. "Fuck you too" She muttered, folding her arms.

Eric gave a warning glance, and no more.

Nan simply gave her a scowl.

After a moment Nan went back to business.

"I just need your official statement, that's all" She shoved her gloves in her pockets and reached into her other pocket and produced an earpiece.

The vampire sat down in a chair opposite Eric and inserted it into her ear.

Two soldiers came over and placed two webcams on tripods either side of her.

"Webcams, for the authority" She told Eric.

The webcams, as if on queue, rotating on their tripod bases to face her.

"Members of the authority, it's Nan, can you hear me?" She asked the camera. "Good, with regards to the matter of the disappearance of our Magister, last known whereabouts, this dump in Shreveport, Louisiana, you have before you Eric Northman, Sheriff of area five" Again the webcams turned, this time to face Eric.

"Smile for the camera's Eric" Nan chanted sarcastically, ginning.

Carla did her best to keep her muscles relaxed, but simply the sound of this vampire's voice made her want to attack.

Eric looked from Nan to the camera lens, and then back at Nan, rubbing his hands on the fabric of his trousers, nervous.

"There's a pattern, the Turks told stories of shape shifting jackals at the fall of Constantinople, the Aztecs were decimated by disease from the Conquistador's war dogs" Eric explained, still hunched over, Carla could concentrate, Eric's reminiscing was replaying these events inside his head, and since she recently had his blood, they were replaying for her too.

"Each time there's been wolves, fueled by vampire blood, i nearly found him in Augsburg in 1945, his wolves were in the service of the Wehrmacht" Images of Godric, a woman, a wolf, many wolfs, so much death and destruction reeled before Carla's eyes, she leaned forward, getting a painful feeling in the pit of her stomach, which threatened to remove the contents, if there were any.

"He disappeared after the war, and i... i thought he finally met the true death. Now he's returned" Eric finished, Carla rubbed her head, as images of Russel Edgington filled her mind from Eric's, his thoughts freely invading her space with their sheer force and emotional weight, Carla took deep quiet breaths, trying not to be seen.

"Do you know why?" Nan's voice questioned.

"In times of conflict, Russel Edgington inserts himself into the affairs of men" Eric explained.

"To what end?" Nan spoke again.

"He claims it's too prevent humans from destroying the planet and themselves, and thus our food source" Eric said.

"But true blood changed all that, humans are no longer food for us. The Great Revelation-"

"Russel opposes the Great Revelation, and he doesn't want to co-exist with humans he wants to subjugate them"

"The authority will not-"

"Fuck the authority!" Eric shouted, interrupting the vampire. "Russel's words. Verbatim" Eric added.

"This is why he killed the Magister?" Nan asked, her eyes a little wider and her body slightly more tense.

"No, he killed the Magister because the Magister defied him. He kidnapped Queen Sophie-Ann because she refused him. Now, if the authority or the AVL stand in his way, well..." Eric trailed off.

"These are treasonous allegations, why didn't you report this sooner?"

"Oh, i should have, but the authority has only existed for a few hundred years, my history with Russel Edgington goes back nearly a thousand" Eric answered. A wave of body shattering sadness and guilt pulsed through Carla's body from Eric's, his memories, of Carla assumed was his family, slammed into Carla's mind, a man and a woman lying dead, a naked man on the floor, blood everywhere, wolves retreating from the house, a cloaked figure in shadows with a could monotonous voice, a young Eric, fair skinned and alone.

"My family was massacred. All of them, by wolves. I managed to kill one, and i watched him change into a man at the end of my sword. And these wolves, they're the same. Sweden, Germany, here." Carla leaned forward, hiding her face from the vampire's around her, and tickling sensation ran down her face as tears were produced, bloody tears, and the stinging in her eyes worsened.

"With all respect, i did not report Russel Edgington to you because i want him to die at my own hands." Anger replaced the feeling of dread that welled inside her and she curled her hands into fists, she told them to stop, but they acted alone, like renegades attached to her body.

"I have waited a thousand years for this." Eric said to the cameras. They turned back to Nan with a mechanical whirring.

"Yes" Nan said into the ear piece, "Yes i understand, i'm flying immediately to Portland, thank you"

"What, is that it?" Eric asked, confused.

"The authority will review your statement against the frankly strong possibility that I've lost and entire night's worth of air time promoting the VRA in order to listen to a load of bullshit. But some do believe in a fair hearing. Americans." Nan shrugged, getting up to head to the door.

"Miss Flanagan" Eric stood up too, and Nan paused to turn around and face the vampire.

"Russel Edgington is a threat to out very existence" Eric warned.

"But he is a king, one who just donated a half a million dollars to the same American vampire league you say he's trying to bring down" Sudden realization hit Eric, and therefore hit Carla too. "Weird, huh?" Nan finished.

"Bring in a couple of spare coffins for Sheriff Northman and his... whatever you are" Nan said. "You need to stay too" Nan indicated Carla, who looked up, blood staining her face.

"Oh i don't plan on leaving" Carla got up and ignored the looks.

"You're on lock down, till the authority makes it's ruling" Nan told Eric.

Some guards remained in the club, two coffins were placed in the back.

Carla walked to the ladies, to wash the blood off her face, her head throbbed painfully.

"Weird" Eric walked in behind her, leaning against the door frame.

"What is?" Carla splashed water on her face, removing the last of the blood, leaning forward over the sink, her hand on either side, staring down as the water spun down the plug hole.

"Just a little bit of my blood and you can read my mind, see my thoughts, feel my emotions, you even cry like a vampire, how... weird" Eric stared at Carla's back.

"What did Clive tell you?" Carla grumbled.

"He spun me and Russel a rather amusing tale really, druids, secret societies, shape shifting abilities gained from a drop of blood, elements controlled by gifted humans" Eric said, standing up straight, Carla did too, looking at her face in the mirror, and the body of Eric behind.

Eric stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders, rubbing the tension from her muscles, he lowered his head to her ear.

"Different specialties, and special markings" Eric whispered, kissing the back of her ear lobe, running down the back of her neck, to her shoulder, running his tongue back up her shoulder to her throat, just over her jugular.

Carla breathed out, tilting her head slightly to the side, without even telling herself to, her body know exactly what he wanted, and was hopeless to refuse.

Her eyes drooped as he nibbled at her throat, threatening to bite.

The marks on her body began to shine, dimmer than in the hotel room back in Dallas, but noticeable.

Eric stroked his hand over the one on her upper arm, tracing around it, the jagged lines that circled around her arm, seven of them, ending just before her elbow.

Carla came to her senses, swinging around, pushing Eric back slightly, so they weren't so close.

"So, you know everything, you know me, you know what i am, what are you going to do with it?" Carla demanded.

Eric chuckled.

"Why are these markings so much like Godric's?" Eric asked.

"Because Godric was part of the same clan, he was a druid also" Carla shrugged.

Eric stood up straight, inspecting the girl.

"Stop looking at me like that" Carla turned away and took a few steps away.

"Like what?" Eric asked, sounding innocent.

"Like i'm dinner" Carla glanced over her shoulder, with a harsh glare.

"I can't help it, when you look so delicious, when you ARE so delicious" Eric shrugged, leaning back against the wall.

"Stop talking about that, i'm not so cruel to leave someone alone while they are miserable" Carla shrugged, turning around.

"Oh but you liked it, didn't you?" Eric grinned his usual grin.

"So what if i did, as soon as Russel knows what you did, he will be after you, then me, then Sookie, then Bill, then the whole damn world probably, no matter where i go, i have a crazy vampire at my heels who's three thousand years old" Carla yelled back.

Eric was silent, his grin shrunk into serious thoughtfulness.

Carla sighed, feeling guilty.

"Listen, i'm sorry, i just, i haven't seen Clive in an awful long time, and him being back brings me memories i wish i could avoid" Carla shrugged.

"How did he die?" Eric asked out of no where, his eyes intense.

"Why does that matter, why does anything matter for that matter, i'll be dead soon, or worse" Carla shrugged.

Eric went back to being silent, and self consumed.

Carla gave in. "Come with me" Carla stepped forward and grabbed the tall vampire's hand, dragging him behind her towards his office, so they could have some privacy.

Carla laid down on the carpet, Eric simply stood there looking at her, confused.

"Lay down next to me" Carla ordered.

"Why?" He questioned.

"Well if you want to fall over and break your skull and stain your beautiful carpet, that's fine by me, if not, lay down next to me" Carla laid back, and after a few moments of recovering from being ordered, Eric did so too.

Carla laced her hand into Eric's, their arms touching with their closeness.

"Close your eyes" Carla told him, and he did so, she did the same, concentrating on something far away and already done.

* * *

"Now open them" Carla told him.

Eric opened his eyes to see a large carved cavern, lit with large wooden torches and braziers made of iron and steel.

The walls were well rounded, with the whole room looking like one half of a sphere.

Eric sat up, Carla offered him her hand to help him up, he accepted.

"Where are we?" Eric asked, looking all around, taking in the mighty room, with it's tall stone pillars which stretched from the floor all the way to the ceiling, and the immense altar at the head of the room, adorned with fancy drawings and carvings, similar carvings were all over the floor, with complex patterns and letters, coupled with pictures of people carrying out many different actions, to hunting, what looked like spell casting and shape shifting.

"Inside my head" Carla explained, keeping hold on the vampires hand, preventing him from wandering. "This is the main hall, ritual area, ceremonial gathering, all of the above" Carla told him, her eyes fixed on the altar.

"Why are we here?" Eric asked, looking down at the women, she met his eyes.

"To show you what i cannot tell you" Carla explained simply.

As if on queue, a cloaked and leather clad man stroke into the room, holding a book that was tied closed.

The brown leather he wore was loose on his skinny, old body, but he walked very fast considering the age he looked.

He was closely followed by a congregation of similarly old men, grey hair, or white, clad in brown decaying leather and long heavy cloaks, all of them wearing slightly different but all extravagant head bands, leather bands with intricate and colorful weaving's.

The first man was the tallest but looked the oldest.

"That's Raymond, he's the leader of our clan" Carla explained, sucking in a deep breath, trying to quell her emotions.

The next two old men, were holding the wrists of a young boy, just too short to be a teenager, his light brown hair was short but soft and tufty, his face was a picture of pure horror, tears streaming down his face, wailing loudly.

The next six people to enter were all holding onto a young girl, only just an adult, she still looked very young.

The first man, Raymond, arrived at the altar, and walked around to the behind, the next two lashed the boy, kneeling to the altar, he tried to struggle free, but he was held tight.

Carla gripped Eric's hand harder, shaking, her brain telling her to run, run towards the boy, save him, save her son, her only boy, but she knew she was too late, way too late. Eric held her just as tight.

The men holding Carla's younger form stopped in front of the altar, lashing her wrists, making her kneel.

A lone man ran through the doors, sprinting to follow them.

"Wait!" He yelled, "He made a mistake, he is much better than that, it was one mistake, just give him another chance, he'll do it right!" Clive's voice yelled from the skinny sprinting man, he came to the altar, addressing the leader as he untied his book.

"Strange, if it was a mistake, then why was your wife found trying to take him past the barrier?" A bellowing voice came from the man as he pulled the book open to the right page, looking down at Clive with doubtful eyes.

Clive sighed, looking down at Carla, lashed on her knees, she didn't look back.

"Eric, my little boy, i am so so sorry, i have failed you, please baby... please... please" Carla's younger self muttered and whimpered, lowering her face, the boy lashed to the altar cried uncontrollably, wailing and terrified.

"Very well, if you have nothing to say, we will begin" The man took a deep breath, beginning to chant in a low and thunderous voice.

"Clive! Clive! You have to save him! Grab him and run! Please... Clive please!" Carla's younger self yelled over the chanting, begging Clive, he was stunned, staring down at her.

"Mummy! Mummy please, i'm so sorry, i couldn't do it, please don't Mummy! Help me Mummy!" Eric, the young boy cried out, screaming at the top of his small lungs.

The man left his book on the altar, and climbed up, walking in front of the boy, continuing his chant, that was chanting back to him by the other elders, raising slowly in volume into a crescendo.

Raymond drew a long, curved knife, and raised his arms, holding the handle with both hands.

The chant stopped.

Eric, the vampire, pulled Carla's face into his chest, so she didn't have to see, though she had already seen, and it really made no difference.

The silence was filled with the wailing of the younger Carla, and the soft sobbing of the older Carla into Eric's chest, while he watched the last few moments of the memory.

The boy's body caught on fire, his skin evaporating into blazing dust, and then into air.

The younger Carla's body began to shudder and shake, as did the walls of the cavern, the men found it hard to keep their footing, the flames that had been on the boys body now snaked their way around the woman, her wrists were broken free and rocks began to separate from the rest of the cavern wall, tumbling down onto some men, who tried to run for cover.

Her body shone with bright light and the room faded into whiteness and nothing, it was just Eric and Carla in a vast nothing.

Eric still holding his strong arms around her.

Then everything faded, and their eyes slipped closed.

* * *

Carla was shocked upright, caked in sweat, her eyes had blood trickling down from them, nut because she was crying, but because her eyes were actually bleeding.

Eric slowly opened his eyes, pulling himself up right as well, slower than Carla.

"In my dreams i kill him, i kill them all, the rocks fall, the fire expands and they all die, every last one..." Carla said, her muscles shivering with a cold sweat.

"Do you know if you did?" Eric asked.

"I don't remember, the next thing i remember is walking towards the barrier, i saw Clive before i left, so i knew he wasn't dead" Carla said, sighing deeply, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I wasn't strong enough to kill him then, but now" Carla raised her hand and looked down at the palm. "I'm strong enough" Carla balled her hand into a fist.

Eric looked at her, feeling her guilt and sadness just as she had felt his, their bond becoming stronger and stronger on both ends.

"Do you miss him?" Eric questioned.

"Every single waking moment, i regret... no, i curse myself for not being a good enough mother, a good enough protector to save him, and to think that the elders just wanted me to continue to birth Clive's children, and hope that the rest were more gifted, i am sure the only reason he is here is because of his brother" Carla explained, Eric gave a confused look, as her words needed explaining.

"He has a brother, Rob, he is a element wielder, one of the best, in fact, he was also my rival during the teachings, he tried to kill Sookie and Alcide before Russel captured me, i don't know whether he was killed or he simply managed to escape" Carla shrugged.

Blood trickled down from Eric's nose, over his lips.

It caught Carla's eye.

"You should sleep" Carla told him, indicating one of the coffins, the one that wasn't already closed with Pam sleeping inside.

"I can't" Eric shrugged, crossing his long legs.

Carla tilted her head to the side, questioning the vampire.

"It's very likely that today will be my last day of life" Eric admitted, not looking at Carla, he felt her dread and worry.

"Why do you say that?" Carla asked, gripping his arm tightly with her hand.

"Well, just to say that if i were the authority, i would be the easier scapegoat, a vampire sheriff they already have in their custody, rather than a vampire king, three thousand years old and could be anywhere" Eric let his arms go limp on his knees, staring forward into space.

"You cannot be so hopeless" Carla knelt to his side, placing her hand on his face, making him look at her. "Have faith, i would sooner die than allow any of those soldiers even touch you, and trust me, it's very hard to kill me now" Carla turned around, seeing a white towel on the shelves at the side of the office, she grabbed it and dabbed the blood from under Eric's nose before it had a chance to dry.

Eric studied the girl's face, feeling her soft precise movements as she dabbed away the blood.

"Besides, you still haven't avenged your family, you can't die yet" Carla shrugged.

Eric took the towel from her hand, which shocked her, making her jump slightly.

The vampire leaned forward and placed his hand under her chin, holding her face still, he used the towel to wipe away the blood that had come from her eyes due to the sheer effort of the memory walk.

Eric traced his finger backwards, along her jawline, and laying it around her neck, pushing his fingers into hair at the nape of her neck.

She blinked quickly and nervously, a little jumpy after re living that memory, no doubt.

He pulled her head forward so their forehead's were laid together.

"Are you going to rest?" Carla asked him, a smile on her face, the sort of smile that showed peace and comfort. A loving smile.

Eric took a moment, closing his eyes, taking in her presence, her aura, her smell.

"I don't want to" He replied, letting out a deep sigh.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!  
Do you like my portrayal of Eric?  
What about Carla? Is my OC interesting?  
What about the 'memory walk'?  
Tell me what you think! I love to hear what you guys think about my writing, so please share!  
People will probably hate me for what is coming up in the next chapters, and i don't blame them, i almost hate myself for it, but unfortunately, it has to be done to progress the story, so i hope you guys can forgive me afterwards!  
**

***Updates will continue whenever i can! Thanks for your patience!***

**Until next time, **

**-Shad out**


	26. Planning

**Welcome back! Hope you enjoy! Feel free to tell me what you think of the chapter, i'd love to hear, thanks for coming back!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-six - Planning

* * *

Sitting around a table in Fangtasia, the two vampires and the druid were silent, they were all deep in thought.

The door of the club swung open, and the familiar face of Nan walked in, carrying a large and overly important looking envelope.

"Well good evening miss Flanagan" Carla greeted her sarcastically.

She glanced between the three of them.

"You look like shit" she commented on the three of them.

"Well i feel fantastic" Eric replied, equally sarcastic as Carla, who smirked.

Nan ignored him.

"The ruling is as follows" Nan began, pulling the letter from the envelope, and unfolding it so she could read it, making it very over dramatic.

Eric sat up straight, glancing down at the paper that would seal his fate, Carla reached under the table and placed her hand on his knee, as support.

"The authority disavows any knowledge of our interview, your statement or, indeed this ruling itself. None of this ever happened" Nan told them, All three of them were very surprised, Pam letting out a long sigh of relief.

"What?" Eric was very confused at this turn of events.

"Missing royals, dead Magisters, it's a political tar baby no one wants to touch" Nan explained, handing Eric the verdict for him to read himself. "Not with the VRA this close to ratification"

"Russel will not stop killing" Eric told her.

"This is ridiculous" Carla stood up, stepping closer to the vampire spokeswoman. "You're just lumbering this shit onto Eric because you know that you wouldn't have a hope of taking him down yourself, so you're hoping that Eric will clean it up for you, so you won't have too, even if Eric dies, you believe that Russel still legitimately supports your regime because you can be bought out, this truly is america, where you believe money talks" The vampire spokes woman glanced Carla up and down.

"On the contrary, i know that Eric here can do it discreetly, without the public knowing about it" Nan glanced back at Eric.

"What a load of shit..." Carla sat back down.

"What resources are you giving me?" Eric asked the vampire spokeswoman.

"None" Nan said, "We're not getting near it" she picked up the paper with the authorities ruling on it, to take it with her. Nan started walking away towards the door to the club, leaving.

"Then how do you expect me to kill him? He's three times my age" Eric said to her back as she walked away. She paused and then turned to come closer to the vampire sheriff.

"Listen you whiny little bitch!" Carla shot up, giving her a warning glare. "The only link between Sophie-Ann, the Magister and Russel is you, you brought us this steaming pile of shit, and you're going to make it go away!" Nan demanded, Eric put on his cool and calm face. "Bring me his fangs, or i will have yours" She added, before heading for the door to leave.

The armor clad henchmen followed her, and not another word was said for a short while.

"What the _fuck_ are we going to do?" Pam spoke up, Eric was still stood in the same position, so was Carla, both in deep thought.

Carla stood up and walked over to the bar, reaching for what she assumed was Eric's mobile that was left on the side.

"Can i use this?" Carla asked, looking down at the screen of the phone.

"Why?" Eric asked, snapping out of his thought induced paralysis.

"I need to call Sookie and..."

"No" Eric cut her off, taking the phone from her open hand with his vampire speed.

"What the hell Eric? I am i some sort of prisoner here?" Carla shrugged at him, he looked down at her.

"You are not a prisoner, but you cannot get back in touch with Sookie right now, there is a very high chance that she is still with Bill and i do not yet know if you are part of his plan" Eric explained, putting the phone in his pocket.

"Plan? What plan?" Carla asked, hands on her hips now.

"That does not concern-"

"Eric! Hello! Don't make me peek inside your head an find out, i am asking you out of respect" Carla stared up at the vampires towering form.

Eric sighed.

"Bill was sent to Louisiana by queen Sophie-Ann to procure Sookie, now i don't know if that includes you as well, or if you are just a convenient cog that sped up the process, you see, Sookie is a fairy, fairies are very rare and almost completely intoxicating to vampires, and that is why they have been widely considered extinct for a very long time now, due to they pungent aroma and delicious taste, but if Sookie is a fairy, or even half, she would not only allow for a titillating feed, but the prospect of day walking itself, though it is only a myth, so are fairies, so it has not be discredited as of yet" Eric explained.

Carla tilted her said to the side, intrigued.

"He was also involved in that attack, the night she met Bill, he fed her is blood, a huge amount of it actually, so that he could cement a blood bond with her on that very night" Eric continued.

Carla thought back to the first night she properly met Bill herself, and threatened him, she was wrong to assume he didn't have a hidden agenda and background goals, Carla was a fool, she scolded herself internally.

"I fucking knew it!" Carla slammed her fist down on the bar, causing a few stray cracks in its surface. "I actually believed his fucking charade, after all that's happened i fell for it hook line and sinker, actually thought he cared for her" Carla growled to herself.

"You need to stop thinking you are responsible for all of Sookie's mistakes, she is more than capable and old enough to look after herself and recover from her own poor decisions" Eric said harshly.

Carla looked up at the vampire.

"I know you're in a bad state right now, so i'll let that slide, but in no way i am making myself responsible for Sookie's fucking mistakes"

"You seem to make a habit of it, why do you protect her? You barely know her? What has it been? A month? Two? Carla, she barely knows you and you seem to act as if you've known her since you were children" Eric bit back.

Carla turned to the vampire, straightening and stiffening her shoulders instinctively. But she had no follow up for that.

"Honestly, i have no idea" Carla shook her head, loosening her muscles. "This whole thing has been like a huge mind game, i'm not sure whether is was Bill, or Sookie, or my own bad judgement and suicidal pursuit and lack of care for if i die or not" Carla sighed.

While they were talking, Pam had walked over to the bar, and turned on the television, turning to the news channel. A news anchor finished reading out his lines, before a very familiar and terrifying voice sounded over the speakers.

Russel Edgington, standing over the recent corpse of the news anchor.

"Does that help you decide?! America?! DO NOT! TURN OFF! THE CAMERAS!" He ordered.

"Shit..." Carla leaned on the bar top, looking at the screen.

"You've seen how quickly i can kill" Russel began, pushing the corpse off the table to the ground, a section of the dead man's spine in his blood soaked hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name, is Russel Edgington and i have been a vampire for nearly three thousand years... Now, the american vampire league wishes to perpetrate the notion that we are just like you and i suppose in a few small ways we are, we're narcissists, we care only about getting what we want, no matter what the cost, just like you, global warming, perpetual war, toxic waste, child labor, torture, genocide, that's a small price to pay for your SUVs and your flat screen TVs, your blood diamonds, your designer jeans, you absurd, garish McMansions!" Russel yelled into the camera, getting ready for a full blown rant, still holding the spine fragment.

"... futile symbols of permanence to quell your, quivering, spineless souls" Russel threw the spine on the floor behind him, knitting his hands together and staring seriously into the camera, he had really lost it, before, when Talbot was alive, he was just a vampire with a power complex. Now he had gone from simply claiming Louisiana to putting all the vampires in the country in danger, because of what Eric had done, he had gone from a little nutty to completely off the handle insane, Carla glanced across at Eric, who was staring up intently at the screen as was Pam, she could feel the guilty radiating from him and fear.

"But no. In the end, we are nothing like you. We are immortal. Because we drink the true blood, blood that is living organic and human." Russel continued, taking a good long lick of the blood on his hand, the news anchor's blood, and swallowing, with a small 'mmm'.

"And that, is the truth the AVL wishes to conceal from you, because let's face it, eating people is a tough sell these days, so they put on their friendly faces to pass their beloved VRA, but make no mistake, mine if the true face of vampires!" He raised his arms up to the sky, to make himself seem more extravagant.

"Why would we seek equal rights? You are not our equals, we will eat you, after we eat your children!" He was lent forward over the desk, looking straight into the lens with dead, soulless eyes, before he sat up, a manic grin appearing on his face. "Now for the weather, Tiffany?" He glanced to the side and the broadcast was cut.

Completely, off, the fucking handle.

* * *

Later that night, Eric was sat opposite his lawyer, having him write a will, Pam was pacing back and forth behind him, letting her objections be known, rather loudly, louder than Carla would have liked, she was sat at another table in the bar, staring down at her hands, trying to concentrate, so hard that beads of sweat were making their way down her forehead, and rising up out of her open palms. She tried to focus on what was left of Clive's presence, when they were married, they shared blood, which created a weak, but obvious tie between the two.

Over time, this had become weaker, and would never be as strong as her link with Eric, but she used to be able to track his movements, see through his eyes, know where he was and how to get there, but for now, it wasn't working.

Eric's thoughts were so loud, invading her mind, pushing any sort of concentration she should have had to the back of her mind, making Clive's connection even smaller.

Wherever Clive was, Carla couldn't leave out the possibility that he was with Russel, or maybe Rob, if he wasn't dead.

"Carla?!" Eric shouted across the bar, she turned to face him.

"What?" Carla answered.

"Come and sign this" Eric requested. Carla sighed. She pushed herself up, and walked over to the table, scribbling her name after Eric had signed his.

"Congratulations, if Mr Northman was to meet the true death, you would become a very wealthy vampire" the lawyer explained to Pam, before showing himself out.

"You can be a cold-hearted bastard" Pam said down to her maker, walking away to the office.

"I'm going to find Clive, chances are he is still with Russel, but then at least we know where they both are" Carla explained, not getting involved, heading towards the door.

"Under no circumstances are you getting anywhere near Russel Edgington" Eric said, not moving. Carla paused the swiveled around to face the back of the vampire.

"Strange, maybe i wasn't there when you decided you'd start being my father, when was that? I don't recall." Carla spat back, angry at her lack of control over her own abilities, she was becoming more a vampire and less what she really was.

Eric stood up, turning towards her, his frame rigid. "Russel knows that there is so connection between us, why else would i take you with me after i killed Talbot? He will kill you if he finds you following him"

Carla sighed. "I will be extra quiet then" Carla crossed her arms, really just trying to get out of the vampires company, so she could tell exactly where Clive was.

"Do you really care so little for your own life?" Eric questioned.

"I live dangerously" Carla told him.

"Vengeance can wait, there's no point running after Russel without a plan" Eric explained, ignoring her comment.

"And your plan is..?" Carla asked.

"First, i need to warn Sookie, Bill will be there and i need you to help me" Carla raised her eyebrow at that.

"Help you? With what?" Carla asked, surprised.

"She won't be at her home, so where would she go?" Eric asked.

"A relative, Jason, her brother" Carla guessed.

"Do you know where he lives?" Eric asked.

"No" Carla shrugged, Eric looked slightly disappointed. "But i can find out" Carla put her finger on the end of her nose, turning around and heading for the door to the bar, followed closely by Eric.

* * *

Within an hour of Carla following Sookie's rather distinct smell, they came to a small house which seemed to be in the middle of no-where.

Eric was the first one at the door, and Carla followed, morphing back into her human form.

"Aren't you going to knock?" Carla went on tip toe to whisper in the tall man's ear.

"No need.." He simple said, which was followed by the front door swinging open to reveal Bill, just the sight of him made Carla want to stake the vampire, but Eric had warned her, it could wait for later.

"How did you find us?" Bill asked, staring at Eric, but glancing at Carla.

"Oh, it wasn't very hard" Eric glanced over his shoulder, Carla stuck her head round the door, to see inside room, which appeared to be a lounge and kitchen with a breakfast bar.

Bill got in her way. "She's asleep, it's the first time in a while, please don't disturb her" Bill explained.

"The last time i saw you you had drained her within an inch of her life, she'd be dead now if i didn't share my blood with her" Carla growled.

Eric had an eyebrow raised at this information.

"That is forgotten, she has forgiven me" Bill explained.

"You're lucky" Carla spat back.

"I know what Sookie is" Eric added. Bill's eyes were a little wide. Eric turned away from the door, as did Carla, signifying that Bill should follow for a private conversation.

Bill did so, looking back to check on Sookie one last time before closing the door behind him and following the two.

"So, is it true that Sookie's blood let you walk in the sun?" Eric asked Bill, after a few steps of silence, Eric deliberately kept Carla on the oposite side to Bill, preventing an attack from the druid.

"Oh." Eric paused in his walk, looking at Bill's surprised expression. "Sophie-Ann never even told you why she sent you for Sookie" Eric looked like he was taking delight in his dumbfounded look.

"I returned to Bon Temps because it is my ancestral home-"

"Bullshit" Carla interrupted. "Save it Bill" She growled, earning her a glanced from Eric.

"Spare the lies, i'll just find out on my own" Eric added.

"Sookie is mine" Bill informed Eric.

"She won't be if you're dead" Eric cut in before Carla could give a spiteful comment.

"Is it true?" Eric asked after a moment of silence between the three.

"No, the blood works for a few minutes if that. And you burn a bit slower than you would do without it, but you still burn" Bill told him, honesty in his face, but with did Carla know, he'd lied to her from the start, every face he had was full of lies.

"That's gonna disappoint Sophie-Ann" Eric said.

"Well, i will die the true death before i let her get her hands on Sookie" Bill said, Carla chuckled. "Or anyone else for that matter" He added.

"You can drop the act around us, Bill, you're not fooling anyone" Carla told him.

"Russel will come for her" Eric informed him.

"Well, you should know since you're now his butt boy" Bill teased.

"No longer, i killed Talbot" Eric told him.

"So that's why he went medieval on TV, well, thanks, Eric, you just put our cause back a thousand years" Bill slated Eric. Carla rolled her eyes.

"He must be after you for that, why are you even here?" Bill asked him outright.

"I'm trying to save Sookie" Eric told him.

"Oh, give me a break you don't care about Sookie. You left us in Russel's house to die, what is the fucking truth for once?" Bill shouted.

"We're here because i wanted to make sure that Sookie wasn't dead, i haven't seen her since i saved her life, and since you were still after her, i didn't know if you'd tried to finish what you started in the back of the van" Carla cut in. "And who are you to talk about the truth, why don't you tell Sookie the fucking truth! If you really love her!" She yelled back.

Bill turned his face away, noticing Sookie, as did Eric and Carla.

"What truth?" Sookie said, looked Carla straight in the eyes.

"The truth about what you are, which I've already told you" Bill said, as Sookie walked to stand next to him.

"Why are you here?" Sookie asked Eric. "To pretend like you care about my safety so you can sell me out to Russel again, or is it to the queen this time?" A large grin grew on Bill's face, ask Sookie took his side.

"You really believe he is trustworthy?" Eric asked, indicating Bill.

"All i know is i sure as hell can't trust you" Sookie told him. "And now that i know what i am and what you want from me, i can promise, you will never get it" Sookie threatened.

"Well, do what you want, i won't be around much longer anyway" Eric said solemnly, walking away from the three. Carla walked towards Sookie, and hugged her close.

"Take care of yourself" Carla said into the woman's ear, she felt Sookie nodding.

"Thank you, Carla, be careful, Eric cannot be trusted" Sookie said back.

"Don't trust Bill" Carla whispered into Sookie's ear, pulled back from the hug, she stepped back, glaring at Bill.

"I wish you the best, Sookie Stackhouse" Eric said, heading off back to the bar at vamp speed.

Carla quickly shifted and ran off at the same speed, if not faster, though she was not following the vampire, she took her chance and ran the opposite way, waiting for her mind to clear of Eric's thoughts, so she could follow them to Clive.

* * *

Carla had been running for half the day, out towards Mississippi, no matter how long she ran, she couldn't concentrate, all these thoughts, knowing about Bill, about Russel, everything that was happening, all above her and too strong for her to control or stop.

She had to tell Sookie, she was guilty that she didn't before, Sookie needed to know that he was controlling her, she was his pawn and there was nothing she knew about it.

Carla headed back towards Bon Temps, it would take her the rest of the day to get back to Jason's house.

When she arrived she found Bill standing outside, and Jason yelling from inside.

"Motherfucker!" Jason yelled. Bill turned around and saw Carla, she didn't bother to morph.

"Where is Sookie?" Carla growled at the vampire, he sighed.

"I don't know, she's not here any longer" Bill admitted, shrugging.

"What has you done to her?" Carla snarled, showing her sharp teeth as a threat, hissing, in her panther form.

"Nothing, she left during the day, i assumed she may be with you?" Bill suggested, Carla shook her head.

"Have you checked her home?" Carla asked.

"No, i only just rose" Bill explained.

"Go there" Carla ordered, turning away.

"And where are you going?" Bill asked, Carla continued to walk away.

"To see if Eric has her, which is totally possible" Carla said, before breaking into a sprint.

* * *

Carla arrived at the bar in record time, opening the door and striding inside.

No-one was at the bar, so Carla walked towards Eric's office, to see if Eric was here, or anyone for that matter.

A high-pitched scream indicated that someone was here.

She pushed her way through the door, and followed the screams down into the basement, where Pam was attaching Sookie to a metal bar that was attacked to the ceiling of the basement.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Carla asked, Pam turned to her. Sookie looked up at her also.

"Carla!" Sookie shouted. "Help! Eric ordered her to tie me up down here, he's going to get Russel" Sookie explained.

"Is this true?" Carla asked, looking at Pam.

"This is the only way, Eric has a plan, he's going to kill Russel, but we need Sookie to tempt him" Pam said.

"And did Sookie agree to this? I am guessing she didn't" Carla crossed her arms.

Pam sighed.

"Eric said that this might happen" Pam pulled a gun out of her back pocket, and aimed it right at Carla.

Carla smiled, trying to keep her cool, put on an act of confidence.

"Did he also say that I've survived a bullet through the heart?" Carla asked, Pam remained stationary and resilient.

"Yes, but he also said that the only reason you did was that you were put in the sun soon enough, now there's about six hours until sunrise, you think you can last that long?" Pam asked, Carla has to hand it to her, she was vicious and loyal, not wonder Eric had turned her.

"Fine, i give up" Carla shrugged, putting her hands up.

Pam edged around her, and walked up the basement steps, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Carla ran to Sookie, and unlatched the collar that was keeping her attached to the bars.

"Thank you" Sookie said, standing up and brushing herself off.

"Were you here all day?" Carla asked Sookie, who nodded.

"He locked me in his office and took off, i suppose he is getting Russel, they might be back soon" Sookie sighed. "What do you think he has planned?"

"I am not sure, but i suppose he will off Russel the chance to walk in the sun, that's what Eric and Bill were talking about while i was there, Bill said that drinking your blood allowed him to walk in the sun for a short amount of time, then when he goes out into the sun, i don't know, Eric will make sure he burns, maybe, i don't know the details, i didn't follow Eric back to the bar last night" Carla admitted. "Though i did think i was strange he didn't come after me, Sookie, i am sorry i didn't realize you might be in danger" Carla sighed, then become confused, why was she apologizing?

"It's not your fault, Carla, i shouldn't have come to see Eric in the first place, the man's dangerous and unpredictable, i honestly don't know what you see in him" Sookie said, Carla glared at her.

"Well he hasn't tried to kill me for a start?" Carla raised an eyebrow.

Sookie sighed. "I suppose you have a point"

There was the sound of crashing and breaking upstairs, a lot of noise.

"Sookie!?" A voice from upstairs.

"That's Bill!" Sookie exclaimed, running to the door, Carla followed, more slowly, Sookie started banging on the door, and screaming.

More noise from upstairs was followed by the sound of a key turning in the basement door, Sookie stepped back away from it, cautious.

It swung open to reveal a smiling Russel Edgington, standing next to Eric, on the outside.

Carla grabbed Sookie by the arm, and pulled her behind her, protectively.

"Ahh, the druid and the fairy, please, come and take a seat" Russel offered.

"Fuck off" Carla growled, her muscles tense.

Russel laughed out loud. "Or don't, i like the forceful option much more" Russel sped down the stairs, and grabbed Carla's wrist, yanking it forcefully behind her back, along with the other one, restraining her with a piece of rope.

Eric lifted Sookie up in a fireman's lift, and the two vampires walked up the stairs towards the bar, bringing the two women with them.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed reading! Please tell me what you thought, i am very happy that lots of people are enjoying my fanfic, i'm really enjoying writing it, hope to see you in the next one, which will most likely be the end of the third season!**

**Thanks for your time**

**Until next time, **

**-Shad out!**


	27. Secrets No More

**Welcome back! This is a final portion of season three, so the next chapter will be moving on to the next, hope you enjoy this, thanks for spending your time reading my fanfic!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-seven - Secrets no more

* * *

"Fairies?" Russel asked, pacing around Sookie, who was sat behind a table, trying to maintain her look of assertive bravery. "You seriously expect me to believe she's fairy? A species, extinct for millennia, if they ever existed at all. You think i wouldn't have noticed if there were fairies bouncing around in the world?" Russel interrogated Eric.

Carla was sat in a chair, next to Bill, her hands and ankles tied together, so she was unable to escape or move.

Clive was not here however, so he must have not been with Russel all along.

"I did not say she was full fae, she is a human-fairy hybrid, which helps save her from detection, she may well be the last of her kind, your only chance to walk in the sun" Eric explained.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" Russel muttered.

"Drink her blood, you'll see" Eric offered.

"Now, that's just nuts, nothing in my blood is a supernatural sunscreen for y'all, why would you even think that?!" Sookie protested.

"Sookie, you're wrong" Bill spoke up from next to Carla. "What Eric says is true" Carla shoved her knee into the vampire.

"Bill! What the fuck?!" She growled.

"No!" Sookie added.

"I never told you" Bill admitted to her.

"Bill's experianced it for himself" Eric explained to Russel.

"Oh, well that's reassuring, a testimonial from the mendacious Mr Compton" Russel joked.

"A new beginning?! We'll start over?!" Sookie yelled at Bill, who didn't meet her eye, he simply looked at Russel.

"I can't force you to believe it, you'll have to see for yourself" Bill told him.

"Why are you doing this to me?!" Sookie demanded.

"We've tried fighting him, We'll never win, if he develops a taste for you blood, he may let you live" Bill explained, sounding honest, but Carla doubted anything the vampire said now.

"More like it's just because you never loved Sookie, everything was a lie, right from the start, i should have seen it, i should have killed you when i got the chance!" Carla snarled at him.

Sookie was silent, silent and terrified.

"So?" Eric asked Russel.

"I'm intrigued"

"Excellent" Eric smiled, fake.

"On one condition" Russel said back.

"Whatever you like" Eric agreed.

"You go first" Russel said, a grin on his face.

Pam suddenly looked up, worried.

"I'd love to" Eric said, having to agree.

Russel grinned.

Carla sighed.

She knew Eric's plan now, and it wasn't pretty.

* * *

The next few hours before sunrise went slowly, a few minutes before dawn, Eric disappeared to get some silver handcuffs, considering he was planning to feed from Sookie, go outside and then when Russel came out, if he was satisfied, Eric would cuff them together.

Carla tried desperately to undo the knots holding her wrists together, to the point where her fingertips were red and sore, and her nails cracked and broken.

"Shall we?" Eric said, walking over to Russel and Sookie.

"Do let's" Russel grinned.

"One caveat, gentlemen, if you drain her completely, that's the last fairy blood you'll ever drink" Bill told them.

"Hm, good point" Eric agreed.

"We are schooled, onward to adventure!" Russel cheered.

"If this is you trying to help me, thanks for nothing" Sookie said to Bill.

Eric looked over at Carla, a dead look in his eyes, Carla continued to pull at the knots, trying to work out how to undo them.

Eric looked down at Sookie, but Russel was inpatient.

"Oh for god's sake" Russel complained, before grabbing Sookie's arm and pulling her down onto the table, his fangs came out, and he bit into her wrist, she screamed.

Eric produced his fangs, and bit down, more gently, on her neck, they both began to feed.

Carla screamed, pulling at her restraints painfully, trying to be free.

Once they had finished, Sookie was laid out on the table, weak and oozing blood.

Eric headed straight for the door, while Russel watched him outside on the CCTV cameras which were being shown on the TV.

When he was outside, he shut the door, and slowly plodded out into the daylight. Once out in the light, he stayed still for a few moments, and then indicated that Russel should come out.

"Untie me!" Carla ordered the vampires, they ignored her.

"If you don't let one of us free, Sookie will die!" Bill shouted at them.

"It's fairies, fucking fairies, who knew?! My hands are shaking, i feel like a little child! Thousands of years of night, you can't know!" Russel muttered, speaking to Pam.

"What are you waiting for?" Pam said, smiling, as she turned to Russel, he ran to the door, almost throwing himself out.

"Pam! Let me go!" Carla ordered.

"I need to save Sookie!" Bill shouted at the same time.

Pam used her vamp speed to let them both out, within moments, Bill was on Sookie, biting into his wrist, giving her blood.

Carla ignored them, and ran towards the door, smashing the glass covering an axe, the case saying that it was only to be used in an emergency.

Carla grabbed it, with bloodied knuckles, from smashing the case, and pushed the door open, striding outside.

Eric and Russel where laid out, side by side, their hands cuffed together.

Carla stooped down over Eric, waving her hand infront of his face, her other hand still clutching the handle of the axe.

"Eric?!" She shouted, he was fixated on something to his right, taking in deep breaths, it was obvious he was still alive.

"Fantastic! Cut the chain and pull me inside!" Russel ordered.

"Shut the fuck up, i'd sooner plant this right in your neck!" Carla stood up, and instead of aiming it at the vampire's neck, she brought it down on the chain, and grabbed Eric's leather jacket, dragging him inside.

Pam helped Carla lift him up onto a couch inside the bar.

"He needs blood, he's too weak to drop fang" Pam told her.

"Pam, bite me" Carla put her arm up, and Pam bit down into it.

Carla placed the bite over Eric's mouth, so her blood dripped into it.

Pam found the key to the cuffs in Eric's pocket, and unlocked them, pulling the silver away from his skin, even as it burned her fingers.

Eric raised a hand, holding Cara's wrist to his lips, sucking blood from her, making quiet grunts as he swallowed.

"Keep an eye on him!" Sookie said, standing up from her seat nearby, Bill nodded.

Eric's wounds began to heal, where his flesh was scorched and burned, it pulled together and healed over as normal skin, Eric continued to suck the blood out of her, but Carla tried to pull her arm away, to held it to his lips.

"Enough" Carla warned, and he moved her arm away from his lips, not letting her go before he healed her wounds over with a drop of his blood from his finger.

"Where's Russel?" Eric asked, looking between them all.

"Outside" Sookie told him.

"We have to bring him in" Eric told them, sitting up.

"Are you insane? Why?" Bill demanded.

"Godric appeared to me and asked me to spare Russel" Eric told them.

Bill scoffed. "You are insane.." He decided.

"Sookie... Carla..." Eric growled.

"You want us to go get the guy that wants to kill us all and bring him inside, really?" Sookie said, glancing between Eric and Carla.

Carla was shocked, what the hell was he doing? This can't have been part of the plan.

"Eric, do the world a favor and let that fuck fry" Pam added.

Eric grumbled. "I'll go out there myself" Eric pulled himself to a standing position.

Everyone else did also.

Eric walked towards the door, but Carla was faster, and stood in his way.

"Eric, if you do this, whatever we have, it's done, i promise you that" Carla warned.

Eric's face lost its determined look, instead he looked worried, afraid, even sad.

"Oh for god's sake" Sookie rolled her eyes, and grabbed a silver chain that was on the base of one of the dancer's poles, that was used on Bill, pushing past out of the door to get the vampire.

When inside, Eric chained him to the dancer's pole.

"You're a fool not to kill him" Bill told Eric.

"Killing him wouldn't solve anything" Eric brushed off.

"No, but it would keep him from killing us" Sookie explained.

"Oh, he won't be doing anymore killing" Eric told her.

"So what is the plan Eric? Do tell" Carla requested.

"Eric, who the fuck are you right now he killed your family!" Pam demanded. "Rip off his fucking head!"

"Do not listen to them, i will reward you handsomely" Russel spoke up.

Eric responded by punching the vampire in the gut.

Russel coughed, and spat out one of his fangs that had fallen out.

"Well that's humiliating, i'll take that" Eric picked the fang off the man's hand.

"Sookie, come and hold these chains together, tight as you can" Eric ordered.

Carla raised her hand, blocking Sookie from going to Eric, Carla went instead, yanking the vampires neck right back to the pole.

"We should go to ground, you two stay here and watch him" Eric ordered.

Carla looked up into Eric's eyes, he still looked hurt, not his usual guarded self anymore.

"We're not babysitting this psycho while you guys take a nap!" Sookie exclaimed.

"I don't think we have much of a choice" Carla admitted.

"He can't glamour either of you, Ginger is coming in later and he will glamour her in a heartbeat, Pam make one of the guest coffins available for Mr Compton" Pam nodded and wandered away to follow her order.

"I'm staying out here with Sookie" Bill said.

"No you are fucking not, because if you do, the next wooden thing i touch i will smash right through your eye socket" Carla threatened.

Bill shrugged. "Fine" He walked away after Pam hesitantly.

"Plus i don't really want to see your face, or any of your faces right now for that matter, go crawl back into your holes, you creepy, cold freaks!" Sookie yelled after Bill and at Eric.

Eric pulled his phone from his pocket, and began to speak into it.

"It's Eric Northman, i'm going to need your van and your help tonight" Eric wandered off, but lowered the phone before he left the room, and pointed back towards the two women.

"Do not stake him" He ordered, not daring to make eye contact with Carla, before disappearing off to go to ground.

* * *

A few minutes after the other vampires had disappeared, Carla picked up a chair and put it down in front of Russel, close, but not to close, she sat down in it.

"Right, since you're not going anywhere, at least not until tonight, i have some questions i want to ask you about what Clive told you" Carla began.

"Very well, on one condition..." Carla moved her foot up onto the base of the stripper pole's stage, only a few centimeters away from Russel's crotch.

"I heard that being kicked in the nuts, even when you're a vampire, it still hurts like all hell, i wonder how much it will hurt when they're almost burnt to a crisp?" Carla tilted her head to the side, "Now come on, spill" Carla ordered, and Russel took a deep breath and smiled.

"Druids, with specialties, yours being transformation, meaning you can transform into any being you have had blood from, even on touch in some supes, you also inherit most abilities, but must master them, he also said you are wanted by your people for the death of many elders of your people, he also said that he suspected that you had fucked Eric Northman..." Russel's smile became larger.

"What does it matter, whatever we had, it's over now, continue" Carla ordered.

"I'd like to make you both an offer, we can strike a deal.." Russel said.

"Oh, this is gonna be good" Sookie said, sitting up on the stage, in one of the chairs.

"I will give you my word that i will not harm you or anyone that you love" Russel began.

"Stepping around the fact that your word means about as much as tits on a turtle?" Sookie replied, this made Carla smile. "What else?" She asked.

"One million dollars" Russel said.

"Five" Carla corrected.

"Two" Russel lowered the sum again.

"Seven" Sookie corrected again. "Each"

"Fine, five, each" Russel agreed.

"What else?" Sookie asked.

"I will kill Eric Northman and Bill Compton, both, or neither, or just one of your choosing" Russel turned to look at the blonde.

"Both" Carla told him, he chuckled, Sookie nodded.

"And your house in Mississippi, i like that house" Sookie added.

"Done" Russel agreed.

"What do i have to do in return?" Sookie asked.

Russel growled, "Release me!" He yelled.

"No" Sookie and Carla said at the same time.

"It may not be me, but someday, some vampire will rip you open to get at the essence inside you, there's no way around that Sookie Stackhouse!" Russel yelled.

Carla rammed her foot into Russel nethers, and he yelped. "Shut up!" she snarled at him.

"You don't know what it is to drink your blood, it is paradise, Arcadia, Nirvana, who even knows what both of your bloods are capable of, i hear that druid is an acquired taste, better and better the more and more you drink it" Carla rammed her foot farther in, he growled.

Carla removed it, and sat up.

"I am surprised that your Mr Compton has shown such restraint, he is either a real gentleman, or just very, very smart" Russel continued.

"Smart how?" Sookie got up, colloidal silver in hand, and walked over into she was next to Carla, looking at the vampire.

"By showing such a degree of control, he is able to make the experience last that much longer, that's basic tantra, but others, they won't be able to stop themselves, they'll drain your dry, which is a shame really, but the rose only blooms for a short while, i suppose" Russel taunted, laughing.

Sookie raised the silver and sprayed it in Russel's face, he hissed and growled.

"That's enough out of you!" Sookie ordered.

"You better hope to god i die!" Russel yelled, Sookie walked over to the bar and picked up the jar filled with red liquid that Russel had been holding earlier. "because i will rip you open and feed your entrails to..."

Russel noticed she was carrying the jar.

"Why are you carrying this around?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, is that Talbot? That's not him anymore" Carla explained.

"It will be!" Russel snarled.

"You think you can bring him back to life?" Carla asked, smiling.

"Of course not..." Russel looked away.

"Yes, you do!" Sookie exclaimed. "Somehow, involving my blood?" she asked.

"Fuck you" Sookie snarled, taking the jar around the bar and to the sink, pouring it's contents into the waste disposal, with sadistic laughter, while Russel screamed and yelled profanities and curses.

Carla had a wide grin on her face, equally sadistic as the remains of the vampire were churned up by the blades of the waste disposal.

* * *

Later that night, just before sunset, Carla guessed, a van pulled up outside Fangtasia.

"That's my wolves, come to save me" Russel taunted.

Sookie and Carla glanced at him, but ignored.

Ginger had arrived, and was behind the bar, cleaning out the glass jar which had once contained the remains of Talbot.

"Are you sure you two aren't hungry? I can make you a peanut butter and butter sandwich" Ginger offered, but both of the women shook their heads.

The bar's door swung open and then closed, and Alcide stood there, Russel grumbled as he was singed further by the light that was let in when the door was opened.

"Please don't do that" Russel requested.

Both of the women got down from their bar stools and went to greet Alcide.

"How did you know to come for me?" Sookie asked, very niave.

"Came here cos Eric asked me too, said he needed my help with something tonight, and it would settle all of my dad's debts" Alcide explained, stopping in front of the two women.

Carla stepped forward and hugged Alcide around the waist, holding him tightly.

"It's good to see you well" Carla smiled.

"The feeling's mutual" Alcide smiled back, they all took seats at the bar.

"How's Janice?" Sookie asked.

"Whole family's safe knock on wood, Debbie's gone missing though..." Sookie glanced away, awkward. "I've been thinking about you, a lot" Alcide smiled at Sookie, Carla glanced between the two of them.

"That's nice, i guess" Sookie smiled, very awkwardly.

"Even had a couple dreams about you" Alcide admitted.

Carla looked at Sookie, who looked unsure of what to say.

"Alcide!" Sookie exclaimed.

"No, i'm just saying, it sure is good to see you again" Alcide smiled again. "I'd have hated it if we'd have never seen each other again" He admitted, Carla heard Russel groan.

"Don't, okay? Don't be such a good guy right now" Sookie begged almost.

"I can't help it if i'm a good guy" Alcide's smiled turned into a grin.

Russel chuckled, "Yet every full moon he turns into a wolf and kills and eats his prey" He interrupted.

"Yeah, rabbits and squirrels, not people" Alcide defended.

"Details" Russel grinned.

Carla stood up and wandered towards the vampire.

"I would be quiet if i were you, or i might start cutting bits off, and i can promise you, you will miss them" Carla winked at the vampire, and he growled.

Eric emerged from the back and strode through with Pam and Bill close behind.

"Good, you're here, your van out front?" Eric asked, getting to moving Russel.

"Yep" Alcide replied.

Bill came to the other side of the bar, and looked at Alcide Carla noticed him picking two pairs of gloves out of the box that was hidden there, and placing them in his pocket.

Carla gave him a warning glance.

"Let's go, we've got a lot to do" Bill said to Eric across the bar.

"Sookie, stay here, Pam'll protect you" Bill said, coming round the bar to stand next to the fairy.

"Feel safer with just Carla around, thank you, since i now know i am basically vampire crack" Sookie got up from her chair.

"Sookie, i need to tell you something now, while Bill is here" Carla said, turning towards Bill, who gave her a flaming stare, and she could feel Eric giving her one too.

"Bill planned for those psychos to beat you within an inch of your life, the night you met, if i had not been there, he would have left you to suffer longer, all so he could create a blood bond with you" Carla began.

"No..." Bill assumed his worried face, terrified that his secrets were escaping and there was nothing he could do to contain them any longer.

"He was also originally sent to Bon Temps in the first place to procure you, Sookie, because of what you might be" Carla finished, turning around to look at Eric, who looked dead inside, betrayed, shattered maybe, but she was the one who can been betraying Sookie, no more, not after what Eric had done, she had told him what would she be forced to do if he had spared Russel, and she kept her promises.

"Is this true?" Sookie asked, tears welling in her eyes.

"He doesn't want to protect you, he only wishes to protect his own ass" Carla explained, and stepped away from Eric, to stand beside Sookie.

"Yes" Bill managed, tears also welling in his eyes, of the blood variety.

"I rescind my invitation to all vampires present, and you Bill Compton, don't even call me, don't ever talk to me, don't even think about me, ever, you manipulated me into falling in love with you"

"It is who you are, Sookie, not what you are, that i love, and i will love always until i meet the true death" Bill begged.

Sookie pushed him away from her. "Love? You don't even get to use that word!" Sookie yelled in his face.

"Come on Sookie" Carla grabbed her by the shoulders and led her out. Sookie paused in the doorway, and turned to face Eric.

"You too" She shouted at him, but he wasn't paying attention, he was numb.

The two of them made their way out to Sookie's car, and drove away into the night, towards home.

* * *

When they arrived back and Carla brought the car to a halt on the drive way, Sookie burst into tears again.

"I don't know what to do, i am so lost" Sookie sobbed.

Carla reached over to her friend, and held her arm, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"I know where we can go" Carla said, smiling at Sookie, who looked up, snuffling.

"Where?" Sookie asked.

"Where else did you go when you have trouble with Bill? Who was the one person who stood by you, told you to follow your heart, gave you the advice you needed to make your decisions?" Carla smiled.

"Gran?" Sookie asked, and Carla nodded.

Sookie smiled.

"Let's go" They got out of the car to go into the graveyard.

Sookie led Carla to her grandmother's grave, and they knelt down in front of it.

"Gran, i followed my heart, and it led me down a dead-end road, i miss you so much, I've never felt so alone and I've spent my whole life feeling alone" Sookie whimpered.

Carla felt the sharp edge lay against her back.

"Don't move, or i'll sure as hell cut you to bits" A voice from so long ago, but not any older than what is was the last time she had heard it, Rob's wife, Mary.

Carla didn't move.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Mary?" Sookie looked behind at the woman.

"Don't you move either, or i'll stick you next!" Mary yelled. "I'm here along with others, they are around, making sure that if i die, you'll be the next one to follow" Mary warned. "Now stand up, slowly" She ordered.

Sookie and Carla did as she ordered, Carla reached across slowly, and grabbed Sookie's hand.

Sookie was allowed full access into Carla's mind, her walls were rubble, and Sookie saw what she had planned.

Carla whirled round and grabbed the woman's hand, bending it backwards and up into her ribs, but not deep enough to do permanent damage, in the next second, she ducked, and pulled Sookie down with her, they ran along the ground as fast as they could into the cover of the trees and gravestones.

Carla saw the flash of a bullet out of the corner of her eye, heading right at Sookie.

Carla fell on the fairy, protecting her with her body, the bullet went into her back, between two ribs, and through a lung, out the other side.

Her lung collapsed, and she gasped for air.

"Sookie!" a heavenly voice called out, in rays of golden white.

Carla had blacked out, and she could barely move.

"My friend too! Please!" Sookie begged, her voice muffled.

Then whiteness engulfed everything, and she was spirited away, a low ringing in her ears.

* * *

**And that was the end of season three! By the time this comes out i will probably be moving on to season five, but i guess we will have to see! Hope you enjoyed, pretty please review, if you have the time, i would love to read what you thought of this chapter, open to any and all feedback!**

**Before i am asked, yes Carla and Eric will get back together, it will be soppy and cute, or as much as i can make it, so i hope you are looking forward to that, i can't wait to write it!**

**Thanks for all the support as always, every single one of my readers is appreciated, and i am proud that you choose to spend your time reading my content! After all it is all made for you guys!**

**Until next time,  
-Shad out.**


	28. There and Back Again

**Welcome back, thank you for spending your time reading my fanfic, and i hope you enjoy the chapter. :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-eight - There and back again

* * *

"What do we do?" Heavenly voices were melodiously chanting all around Carla. She was aware, but she couldn't move. Everything was numb, there was a terrible pain in her chest, it was spreading all around, engulfing her body, drowning her senses.

"Sookie says she is a Druid... what are they? Can we save her? It might mean Sookie will remain on this plain, if she dies, she is likely to want to go back" Another voice, equally harmonious, they sounded like they were all around, but somehow above? Was she dead? Was this the end? Were these the angels of the far gone?

"Mab?"

A name? A god she had not been taught about?

"Very well, Claudine"

What was happening? Carla felt her lips being parted, and something placed over them, it felt soft, warm and comforting.

Liquid ran into her mouth and down her throat, unhindered. It snaked down into her chest. Suddenly her body started to burn, muscles spasmed, forcing her body up from where she was laid out. Her eyes were forced open and her instincts screamed at her to run.

Awareness slammed back into her body like a train. The burning changed, into a tingling, which began to grow and spread making her feel overloaded. Whatever she was given was too potent, too uncontrollable, her body was not a good enough vessel, it couldn't handle that much power, a power that was not of her people, something she couldn't channel and it was making her go into overload.

Looking around where she was, it looked as if they were around a pale tree. People crowding around, all like Sookie, from their smell, they all seemed to be either full fairies, which smelt even more powerfully or hybrids. All eyes were on her.

The place was bathed in soft light, like it was sunset, though there was no sun in the sky. They were standing on stone which was pristine, white and untarnished.

Carla saw Sookie standing next to a middle-aged man, holding his hand, clutching it even. She was terrified, but she wasn't looking at Carla. Instead she was looking around the room, something was wrong.

Carla was crumpled, holding her stomach. Though she couldn't hold it inside any longer.

She threw her arms wide, standing up as the energy was released. Golden light, so bright that it almost burnt her eyes, sprung from her, every pore in her skin emitted it and her hair appeared alight with white flame.

The environment around them shuddered and flickered, as if it was a television screen with poor signal, the illusion that covered the place around them was destroyed and revealed a barren dead tree in the center of a rocky sandy terrain. Dead plants were all around them and a burning harsh sun beating down from above.

As well as the environment changing, so did the full fairies, they suddenly become less angelic and more nightmarish, their skin darker than before, their teeth and nails pointy and sharp.

Screams sounded out all around looked around and people ran every direction, confused and afraid.

Her arm was grabbed at the wrist and she was yanked away from where she stood.

"Come on! We've gotta get out of here! Carla, Grandaddy, run!" Sookie's voice yelled, while she pulled her forward. Carla's ears were ringing and so she could barely hear over the screeching noise, so Sookie was actually very quiet.

Before they were a few strides away, bursting energy began to rain down upon them, from the fairies they were now running from.

"Can you keep up!?" Sookie yelled at the man that was now falling behind, her grandfather.

"Trying!" He yelled, panting heavily, his body too old for strenuous and sudden activity.

"Try harder!" Sookie yelled back, still pulling Carla along behind her, whose legs were thankfully willing to work. Though her mind was still processing what had just happened while her senses were recovering from the shock of the power overload.

A giant ball of energy fell down right at their heels and they were thrown forward onto the sand, debris from the blast scattering all over them.

Two fairies jumped down from the rocks they were running alongside, and helped them to get back up.

"Come with us! We can help you!" A male fairy shouted over the commotion, though the three of them were still wary and instead fought back.

An energy ball hit one of the fairies, and he dissipated, dead.

"Do not fear! We can get you home!" The only remaining fairy told them. "Hold them off, I have them!" The fairy yelled up at the high rocks where the faces of more fairies appeared and began to bombard the fairies that were now coming closer from behind them.

"Hurry! This way!" The male fairy ordered, leading them through the passage.

They all sprinted at top speed after the male fairy, hopefully following him towards home.

The fairy came to a sudden stop at a giant crevice, so deep that the bottom was not even visible, only unending blackness and the other side far off in the distance.

"You have to jump!" the fairy ordered.

"No way!" Carla refused, barely able to hear.

"We don't even know who you are!" Sookie added.

"My sister was the one who abducted you, because the crown wishes to seal off the human world from fairy forever!" The fairy started to quickly explain.

"And you don't?" Sookie asked.

"It was once our world too, it is our right to travel there! Have you eaten the light fruit?" The fairy asked, confusing Carla.

"Light fruit?" Carla blinked a few times.

"She and I haven't, he has though" Sookie answered.

"Only you two can go then" The fairy surmised.

Sookie swiveled round, looking at her Grandfather.

"Hurry!" The fairy warned.

"Humans! Do not listen to his lies, jump and you will die!" A female fairy's voice sounded from behind them, the one who had given Carla her blood.

The crevice began to shatter at the edges, and then the edges began to expand, threatening to cover the whole crevice itself.

"She's closing the portal! Do you want to go home or not?" The fairy warned.

"Sookie! Come on!" Carla aimed to grab her hand. But Sookie pulled it back, unsure.

"Sookie! No!" Carla was shunted forward and fell into the small hole that still remained.

In a flash of the same golden light, all three of them fell onto the dirt road in the Bon Temps cemetery, it was the morning, and the sun was beaming brightly.

Carla's hair fell forward, though it didn't look like her hair, it was white, completely white, glossy and shining in the morning sun.

"Grandaddy?!" Sookie crawled along the ground towards the old man, his body was periodically flashing with a red light, and he was groaning painfully, writhing around on the floor, unable to stand up.

Carla crawled towards the man as well.

"Sookie, he's not going to make it" Carla said softly.

Sookie touched the man's arm, his face was slowly becoming darker and more aged with every flash.

"I had the light fruit sweetie, but i had to see you and your friend home" Sookie's grandfather, Earl, explained to her.

He took a deep breath.

"Your Mumma and Daddy... your Gran, they here?" He asked Sookie, holding his stomach, having great trouble breathing.

"Yes- come on..." Sookie and Carla helped the man towards her grandmother's grave, gently placing him on the grass next to it.

Earl groaned with the next flash.

"I never meant to leave you all" He sounded solemn.

"We never believed you abandoned us" Sookie explained, shaking her head, refusing to accept it. "None of us ever stopped loving you" She added.

"That's good" Earl nodded, his face almost black, he didn't have much time left. "Your Gran's gonna give me what for in heaven, i guarantee you" He joked.

"Goodbye Grandaddy, I'm so sorry..." Sookie began to sob, leaning down to stroke the man's shoulder.

Carla touched Sookie's shoulder, trying to show her support.

Earl dug in his pocket, and pulled out a pocket watch, handing it to Sookie, his hand shaking erratically.

"Give this to Jason, man ought to own a good watch" He smiled. Sookie sniffled, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "Now I'm happy, I'm where I belong" He said, looking worse than before. "You be good Sookie, I love you" Earl smiled before disappearing all together, his body flashing one last time into nothingness. Sookie sobbed uncontrollably.

Carla pulled Sookie close, wrapping her arm around the fairy's shoulders, kissing her forehead.

"I'm sorry Sookie" Carla said. Sookie simply sobbed into Carla's chest, clutching the pocket watch tightly in her hand.

* * *

Half an hour later, once Sookie had recovered mostly from their ordeal, they headed back towards the house.

Though when they turned around the corner, the house wasn't the house anymore, it was completely different, the originally muddy appearance of the outside that Sookie had not managed to clean since Maryann had done her makeover, was now completely repainted in new paint. It was a lovely mild yellow colour and most of the fittings including windows and doors had been replaced with brand new ones.

Though Sookie's banged up yellow car was still there, right next to Carla's equally old and banged up light blue one.

"What the?" Sookie said, striding quickly up the driveway and then onto the porch. There were workmen on the outside of the house, working on different sections, one of repainting the porch furniture, while another was painting the side of the house.

The flower beds were also full of flowers, looking as if they had been tended every day for hours at a time.

Carla strode up after Sookie, who was now standing inside the house.

"Excuse me, you can't go in there, it's a construction site. This is private property" One of the work men was saying to Sookie, who was to interested with looking around her house, that had undergone a serious makeover.

"Private property? She owns this house mister" Carla edged her words in, stepping inside the porch too, looking into the rooms.

"If you don't come out right now, I'll have to call the police!" The workman threatened.

"Good" Sookie said, coming up to the door. "Because I'd love an explanation!" Sookie exclaimed in his face, followed by slamming the door in it.

"Sookie, I think we may have been gone for longer than you think" Carla began, looking around the room, before wandering through to the dining room and back into the kitchen.

"Why's that?" Sookie called through from the porch, before coming to join her.

"Everything looks completely different, you really think they could do this in the few minutes we were gone? Time must work different there" Carla said, opening the cupboards and the fridge, all completely empty.

It took a few hours for the police to arrive, then there was a short knock on the door and a man's voice calling from the front door.

"Hello? Police!" He called. Sookie and Carla both got up from the dining table where they had been talking about what had happened in Fairy and came to see Jason in the door.

"Jason?" Sookie and Carla said at the same time.

"Sook... Sookie?" Jason stuttered out. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" Jason ran forward, picking Sookie up in his arms and hugging her tight. "I can't believe it's you!" Jason said, a huge smile on his face.

"Jason, why are you dressed as a cop?" Sookie asked, looking him up and down.

"Oh my god, Sookie! We must have been gone for ages!" Carla said, leaning against the wall of the dining room, still in view.

"Hey? Carla? You looked different..." Jason began, trailing off.

"Oh, the hair? Yeah, long story..." Carla said.

"No, it's more than that" Sookie said.

"What? What is it?" Carla raised her arms and felt all over her face, and looked down at her limbs and body, all looked normal from here, and felt normal.

"Your eyes have changed colour..." Sookie began.

"And?" Carla walked towards the lounge, where and mirror hung on the wall.

Carla saw herself looking back, but it looked nothing like her, her hair was completely white, all around, and very glossy, even not in the daylight. Her eyes were also completely grey, only a few shades from white and her skin was deathly pale, like she was a vampire almost.

She turned around to see Jason and Sookie standing in the doorway.

Carla shrugged. "Long story" She repeated.

"We thought you two were dead! We looked everywhere for you both!" Jason still had a large grin on his face, surprised to see them both.

"How long has it been?" Carla asked.

"We figured a vampire must have done it- Bill or maybe that crazy tall one" Jason rambled on.

"Jason, how long?" Sookie shook her brother's arm.

"Twelve and a half months" Jason sighed.

Sookie's jaw almost hit the floor. Carla wasn't so surprised though.

The three of them took a long few hours talking over where they had been and what had happened, which left Jason very confused throughout most of the conversation, or he looked it.

"You sold the house?" Sookie looked surprised.

"All your stuff's still here" Jason defended. "Now I packed it, but i didn't get the chance to..."

"Yeah, I saw..."

"Well at least I didn't throw it away!" Jason argued. "Look, Sook, you have been gone for a year, and it killed me even thinking about all the people who should still be living here, and how they're all gone!"

"He has a point Sookie" Carla agreed, earning her a steely sideways glance.

"I just couldn't take it no more" Jason added.

"Who bought the place?" Sookie inquired.

"Uh, a real estate company with a bunch of initials, AIK i think" Jason answered, looking guilty. "Look, they had the cash, they were offering more than I was asking and I just... wanted to be done with it" Jason said, completely honest.

"I can't believe you gave up on me" Sookie seemed disappointed and sad.

"What choice did i have?" Jason asked. "Sook, you ain't the type to just skip off without telling no one"

"I need some air" Carla stated, getting up from her seat next to Sookie and heading outside as quickly as she could.

She didn't stop walking until her feet were in the cool long grass on the edge of the garden. The house and flower beds had been looked after, but it looked like it was a longer time since the grass had been cut.

Carla raised her arms, looking down at them, her skin was glowing in the evening light. She was still overloaded with fairy magic, even after her release, her muscles were shivering continuously, trembling with the weight of all that power inside them.

She took a deep breath, looking down at the white lace sundress Sookie had given her while they were waiting because the clothes she was wearing were pretty torn up and singed.

Letting the wind blow past her cooled her down a lot, relieving some of the tension.

Carla turned around and started walking back to the house, when she saw Bill and Sookie on the porch.

"Sookie!" She called, stopping in the middle of the lawn.

"I'm fine Carla, he's only here to talk" Sookie called back. Bill looked between Sookie and Carla, surprised at Carla's transformation.

A familiar wooshing came from the direction of the drive way, and then stopped abruptly.

Eric was standing at the edge of the lawn, looking at Carla. Carla took a step backwards, not sure how to react.

Eric removed the distance between them, his fangs sprung out.

Carla made a small squeaking sound in surprise, taking a few quick steps backwards, her eyes narrowed.

"No... sorry" Eric muttered, turning his face away for a moment, and putting his fangs away.

"What's wrong?" Carla spoke up, for the first time she heard her own voice trembling. Where was all this fear coming from? She certainly didn't feel it. Was it coming from Eric? Did the link they once had still exist?

"You smell different, very different" Eric explained, in a rather controlled voice, as if his body was about to leap forward, with his mind barely in control.

"Did you think i was dead?" Carla asked.

Eric shook his head.

"I never gave up" He said.

"Eric!" Bill called from the porch. Eric sighed and turned around to address him.

"I believe you have something else to attend to"

"Not that i know of"

"Surely there are tasks you should be attending to at Fangtasia?"

"Pam can handle it"

"Eric! Go! Now!" Bill ordered. Eric grumbled.

"Very well" He turned back to Carla for a moment, taking a step towards her.

"No!" Carla was worried, she knew she was still a powerhouse of energy she couldn't control, almost on queue, her arms flashed with bright gold light. "Please don't come to close" Eric looked her up and down, his eyes full of emotion, hurt lurking in the back of them and longing in the forefront.

Carla side stepped around the vampire, and then ran back into the house, not looking at Bill or Sookie on her way up to her room.

When she got to the door, she threw it open, only to find her room had been completely changed. Her small single bed had been replaced with an impossibly large one, larger than a double for sure, with upholstery on it was bright white leather, and the walls were freshly painted cream, all the furniture was new and the cupboards and drawers were filled with clothes, both new and what she had before she left.

Moments later Sookie came into the room behind her.

"Wow" She almost exclaimed, sitting on the bed, which was incredibly soft. "Tasteful" Sookie smiled up at Carla. "What's up?" She asked, calm and relaxed.

"The fairy blood had a very strange effect on me, instead of making me morph, my body doesn't seem to know how to channel it. All that energy is raging within my body, i can't control it- it could come out at any time and i wouldn't even know i was doing it, i could kill someone with the amount of power i have bouncing around inside me" Carla sat down on the bed next to Sookie, and buried her face in her hands.

"I'm scared Sookie, I am absolutely terrified" Carla sucked in a deep breath, trying not to hyperventilate. Turned out the fear was coming from her after all.

Sookie rubbed Carla's back, showing her support.

"I'm going to Merlotte's tomorrow morning to ask for my job back, do you think you could come too?" Sookie asked. "It'll take your mind off it, then hopefully we can find a way to syphon it off or something?"

Carla leaned back, taking a deep breath in again.

"I can try, though i doubt i have much chance of getting a job from Sam, last time we spoke i was so rude, wouldn't be surprised if he still holds me to it" Carla sighed.

"Least you can do is try" Sookie said happily, trying to be positive.

"I suppose" Carla shrugged. "Thank you Sookie" Carla smiled.

"Thanks for taking yet another bullet for me" Sookie smiled back.

"No sweat" Carla shrugged, grinning a little.

It was definitely more than a sweat, though.

* * *

The next morning Carla found herself sitting next to Sookie in her beat up car, trying to pluck up the courage to go inside the bar.

She had found a beautiful cotton sundress in her new wardrobe in her room that morning, completely yellow with blue bows. She had a pair of deep blue flats on her feet.

"Ready?" Sookie asked from her seat, a nervous smile on her face.

"As ready as i'll ever be i think" Carla admitted, wiping her sweaty hands on the car seat and taking in a deep unsteady breath.

"Come on then, let's get this over with" Sookie opened her door and stepped out of the car. Carla did the same.

Sookie walked in first, the embodiment of confidence. While Carla trailed slightly behind, more nervous around humans than she was in a life threatening situation it appeared. Specially when their lives may be in danger from her.

As soon as they entered they had most of the eyes in the room on them.

"Oh my God!" A familiar voice exclaimed from near the kitchens, and the usual clopping on Arlene's shoes came towards them.

Arlene threw one hand around Sookie's neck and the other around Carla's, holding them tightly against her, while her red hair puffed out crazily.

"Hello Arlene" Sookie said, an audible smile on her face.

"Yeah, hey Arlene" Carla repeated, trying to sound as happy and not so nervous.

Arlene pulled back, as Terry wandered over, a small baby strapped to his chest.

"Wow, Carla, you look so different" Arlene commented, looking her up and down.

Carla smiled and shrugged. "Long story"

"Jason told me you two got married. Congratulations! I am so sorry I missed your wedding" Sookie began.

"Oh, we were all thinking the worst!" Arlene sobbed quietly, getting tearful.

"Well, specially Arlene" Terry said.

"You know where my mind went, the man you love turns out to be a crazed killer" Arlene held onto Sookie's hands.

"He wasn't" Carla and Sookie said at the same time, and then glanced at each other.

"I know but -"

"He wasn't" They both said again, not looking at each other this time.

"Of course" Arlene nodded, smiling.

"Still, we were gonna name the baby after you" Arlene said, her smile growing wider.

"This little one?" Carla asked, stroking her finger down the baby's cheek. The baby smiled.

"Yeah, well it turned out to be a boy and there ain't no boy version of Sookie" Terry explained. They all chuckled. The little baby clutched onto Carla's finger.

"Quite the grip hasn't he?" Carla laughed and the baby smiled and gurgled.

"He's really smart too" Arlene said nervously, looking between the baby and Terry.

Lafayette had come out of the kitchen and over to come and say hello as well.

"I'm gonna get my hug in before my gumbo burns" He said, with a smile, giving Sookie a big hug, but only giving Carla a shy glance.

No doubt still nervous about her close link to Eric, the man who imprisoned and tortured him, even though she had nothing to do with it, or neither did she know about it. But Carla didn't take it personally, it takes a long time for someone to get over a trauma like that.

"Next time text a motherfucker and save us all from a world of worry!" Lafayette told Sookie, who smiled.

"I will" she promised.

Carla glanced around the bar. "Is Tara working today?" She asked Lafayette.

"No, she... she moved" Lafayette explained. Arlene and Terry went to get back to work and Carla noticed Sam behind the bar, giving her a dirty look.

"What? Where to?" Sookie asked.

"Honestly Sook, i don't know- she sent postcards, a month in Houston next was Sante Fe, but she seemed to be doing good"

"I can't believe Tara would just move away" Sookie seemed surprised.

"After all that she been through?" Lafayette said.

"Yeah, i guess i can" Sookie admitted. "Will you tell her I asked for her?" Sookie requested.

"Yeah, yeah, next time she writes" Lafayette agreed whilst on his way back to the kitchen to check on his gumbo.

Sam wandered out from behind the bar, going to replace a menu in their holders.

"Vampire business, huh?" He asked them both. Bill must have made up an excuse for both of their year's absence.

"I'm sorry, we can't say anymore" Sookie assured him.

"Better have been pretty important, to have everyone grieving over you for a year" Sam looked positively pissed off with the whole situation, and the worst part was he probably knew why both of them were here.

"I know what you all must have gone through" Sookie started.

"No, you don't, cos you weren't here" Sam bit back, obviously bitter. Carla let Sookie control the conversation, not wanting to ask just yet, still nervous at the obvious rejection she was about to endure. "Hey, a lot's happened Sookie, a lot's changed"

"Yeah... you've gotten a lot more prickly" Sookie glanced the man up and down, not appreciating his tone or demeanor.

"You start part-time, Holly and Arlene got kids, they need the shifts" Sam pointed at Sookie.

"Listen, Sam, I know I left on really bad terms last time, I was really rude to you. I just wanted to apologize and I would completely understand if you are not interested in giving me a job, you really went out on a limb for me and it was completely out of line what I did and said" Carla started. "But, I hope you can forgive me and at the best give me a job and at the worst, we can just still be friends"

Sam's face didn't soften, he really had become more prickly. He looked Carla up and down, biting the edge of his lip.

"No" Sam said simply, sidestepping around Sookie and going back behind the bar. Sookie followed him, ready to start a fight about it.

"What? Sam!" Sookie complained, already putting her newly acquired job on the line.

"No, Sookie, don't bother, it's fine" Carla assured her. But Sookie shook her head.

"On what reason will you not have her back?" Sookie asked Sam as he leant against the bar.

"Well for one I know she's associated with Eric Northman and the last thing I need is him anywhere near or at all associated with this bar or anyone who works here" Sam began.

"Sookie! Leave it." Carla stared hard at the blonde, a warning glance. Sookie sighed.

"Thank you, Sam. Have a nice day" Carla smiled and walked towards the door. "I'll be in the car when you are ready Sookie" Carla assured her, before going out the door of the bar. Sookie was planning to meet a lawyer of something, which was apparently her other reason for coming to Merlotte's that morning. So Carla would just wait outside where she didn't have to be observed.

Upon walking outdoors, she had the distinct feeling she was being watched.

Carla stopped a few feet from the car and slowly turned around.

A man stood there, taller than her, his hair was relatively short, very fuzzy. He had a very strange white uniform on, as if he was a scientist, doctor or maybe a nurse. He was very muscular with tanned skin and he was also staring straight at her.

"Hello?" Carla greeted, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Umm... hello" the man replied.

She had never seen this man around before.

"Is there a problem?" Carla asked, stepping closer to the man, who strangely, took a step backwards, as if he was frightened.

Then his smell hit her nose and her eyes widened and muscles stiffened.

"Brujo" Carla muttered and the man looked shocked. "What do you want?"

"N-n-nothing, I just, I felt your energy, you're not human are you?" The man stuttered, nervous.

Carla decided that she didn't want him to know anything either way.

"What's your name?" Carla had been lied to and manipulated by too many people, she wasn't going to trust anyone, it was too risky.

"Jesús" The brujo replied hesitantly.

"Jesús, forgive me, but I am very untrustworthy, specially of anyone with any supernatural qualities. So I am afraid I will not continue this conversation any longer, for both of our sakes, I would advise you not to tell anyone that I am not human and that you do not to try and talk to me more about it" Carla finished and turned around, continuing to walk towards the car. She leaned back on the bonnet, waiting for Sookie to come out of Merlotte's and refusing to look back at the brujo, or male witch.

After a few moments, he got in his own car and drove off.

As if this town needed more supes.

* * *

Later that evening, Carla was pacing about her room, her muscles still tense. Sookie was in her own room, apparently Sookie had met Portia Bellefleur, a relative of Terry and Andy, who was a lawyer and was investigating the company that had bought Sookie's house.

Carla couldn't relax, all of the energy was swirling inside her, keeping her awake and constantly on high alert.

She needed to run.

Carla pulled off her flats and walked out of the room, picking up in speed until she was out of the door and off the porch. She sprung off the newly painted wooden boards and morphed, which was more painful than usual.

She ran towards the trees at the side of the house, making sure she wasn't going towards Bill's house.

Running until she felt so exhausted she could barely put one foot in front of the other and then she ran more, back towards the house.

When she saw the lights of the porch as a tiny speck of light in the distance, she began to slow, now completely out of any energy she had had a few hours ago.

She morphed back into her human form, and slumped against a tree, taking deep and rapid breaths. Her lungs throbbing with the pain of not having the oxygen they needed and being too full of the carbon dioxide they were desperately trying to expel.

She only just heard the shuffling over her own heavy breaths, she glanced around, now alert and aware again.

The thick darkness between the trees was the perfect camouflage. Carla could barely see past a tree away from her, since her skin still had a strong glow, only noticeable in the darkness.

She stuck out like a clown in a courtroom.

Getting up onto her feet shakily and taking small, precise steps backwards, towards the house.

"Is someone there?!" She called into the engulfing darkness. Another shuffle, the crack of a dried, dead twig was her only answer.

She closed her eyes, and deeply inhaled.

Vampire.

She remembered that Eric had said she smelled different, like a fairy, Carla guessed, which was, as Sookie had aptly named, 'Vampire crack'.

Carla turned, morphed and ran at full speed towards the light in the distance, towards the house, towards safety from the vampire that was pursuing her.

She heard the footsteps behind her. She also heard a voice shouting, calling, she was running to fast to tell what it was saying. She didn't stop, refusing to before she was on the porch, where she morphed back and fell in through the door.

Safety.

She turned around and looked up at the door, which was wide open, letting in the cold night breeze.

"Good evening, Carla" Eric smirked, standing in the door.

"What the- Eric, you scared the hell out of me" Carla stood up, taking a deep breath. "What do you want?" Carla asked.

Eric walked straight in, and towards her, even though Sookie and rescinded his invitation.

He backed the druid up, into the wall, and got uncomfortably close.

"I. Want. You" He stated simply, leaning down and running his face up from her shoulder, along her hair, taking in a long breath to smell her.

Carla wanted to push him away, to ask him if he minded sniffing her like a cat sniffing catnip, but God she had missed this.

"Is this a dream?" Carla stuttered out.

"I assure you, it is not" Eric grinned, raising his hand to run it up her arm and along her shoulder, up into the hair, massaging the base of her scalp.

"Then how are you inside…? Sookie rescinded your invitation"

"But, she doesn't own the house any more" Eric chuckled. "I do"

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this one! Please tune in next time for more!**

**Thanks for any and all support you give to my work, I sincerely hope you are enjoying the content.**

**If you please, leave me a review and tell me what you thought, this is the beginning of the fourth season and as you can guess it will be cute, mushy and emotional, or that's what I had in mind when I wrote it!**

**Until next time,**

**-Shad out.**


	29. An Empty Shell

**Welcome back! Thanks for coming back and i hope you enjoy the chapter! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-nine - An Empty Shell

* * *

Carla pushed Eric away.

"Stay away from me" She warned.

"What? This is no way to treat your new landlord" He joked.

"You just don't understand do you?" Carla rolled her eyes. "Me and Sookie, we went to the Fairy world, they gave me their blood- because I was shot protecting Sookie. Now I am like a live wire,Ii could burn you to a crisp, so for your own sake, just keep your hands to yourself" Carla explained, side stepping around Eric and moving to a more comfortable distance.

"Is that why you blew me off last night?" Eric asked, turning around to face the Druid.

"Yes"

"What the hell?" Sookie came storming down the stairs. "What is Eric Northman doing in my house? You did not invite him in did you?" Sookie yelled, coming to the bottom step.

"No, Sookie, I did not, he is the one who bought your house" Carla explained.

Eric had a huge smug grin on his face.

"Funny about ownership isn't it, a little piece of paper and the only power you had over me is gone"

"What do you want from us?" Sookie demanded.

"Well, everything" Eric shrugged.

Carla gave him a piercing stare.

"You can't have it" Carla and Sookie replied together.

"I bought it" Eric defended.

"You bought the house- it most certainly does not come with the occupants inside it" Sookie argued.

"Then I seriously overpaid" Eric replied.

"That's your problem- not ours. Now leave!" Carla yelled at the vampire.

"Your blood tastes like freedom, Sookie, and now so does yours Carla. Even more potent than Sookie's even, all in pretty little bottles" Eric explained.

"Is that a threat?" Sookie asked.

"Absolutely not, but others will find out, and when they do, you both will need protection" Eric explained.

"I am more than capable to protecting me and Sookie by myself- now, please, before I get angry... leave." Carla growled, her eyes flaring with bright gold light. Her skin became more radiant than usual, the markings that were usually invisible all over her body now shone with the same golden light, slowly intensifying.

"I bought this house because I care about you and I know for a fact that you care about Sookie. If all I wanted to do was taste that blood again, I could do it and there would be nothing that either of you could do" Eric explained.

"I assure you, I would do something and you would not like it" Carla growled.

However Eric seemed to make a point of ignoring her.

"Instead, I am asking you both to be mine, that way, I will be able to keep you safe" Eric finished.

"You don't seem to be listening to a word either of us are saying, can you not take no for an answer?" Sookie asked, also becoming angry.

"Carla will come around" Eric assured himself, smugly.

"I don't think so" Carla bit back.

"I know how you are, you still seem to want to refuse to admit to yourself, you're deeply in love with me and in the end, you will accept it- along with my protection, you will be mine" Eric stepped forward to look down into Carla's furious eyes, her tight fists lit up with golden flame, which danced on her skin, but spread no further up her arm than to the elbow.

Eric raised his eyebrows a little, though he stood his ground.

"Leave! Now!" Carla ordered the vampire.

She raised her arm and the light sprung into Eric's chest, sending him flying out the door and onto the dirt track of the drive way.

Carla strode to the door, and slammed it shut.

"Good night ladies!" Eric yelled from outside, before disappearing into the night.

"W-wow" Sookie stuttered, blinking.

"Sorry" Carla sighed, turning around and looking down at her body. It had gone back to normal. "That was frightening, I thought I might of actually killed him" Carla blinked quickly, trying to push away the tears but it didn't work well.

"Oh, I'm sorry Carla" Sookie walked over to her and hugged her close.

"It's fine, honestly, I need to get some sleep, I'm so tired" Carla mumbled, wiping her face.

"Okay, I'm going to go and see Bill, see if he can help with our Eric problem" Carla nodded, and patted Sookie on the back.

"Good night Sookie"

"Back at you" Sookie smiled, leaving.

* * *

The next day was slow. Carla didn't even bother getting out of bed for a long while.

When she heard the back door opening downstairs, she decided that would be Sookie coming back with the shopping and decided to go and help her bring it all in.

Carla pulled a thin silk dressing gown around herself, and headed downstairs, still sluggish and drowsy.

"Motherfucker!" Sookie yelled from in the lounge.

"What?" Carla called from the bottom of the stairs.

There was no reply, so Carla went to go and find her. Sookie was standing in front of an old wooden wardrobe.

Tara was standing next to her, looking completely different from the last time she had seen her. Her hair was straightened and she looked refreshed and much more healthy.

"He built himself a cubby,-! he built himself a cubby inside my house!" Sookie grumbled.

"Do you need to go?" Tara glanced between the two. Carla and Tara had never really been close and they hadn't spoken much before she had gone to the other plane.

Sookie nodded.

"Sookie, wait for me, i'll go with you" Carla jogged off to get dressed, when she got downstairs, she found Sookie waiting outside in her car with the engine running, already desperate to go.

"Why do you want to come with me anyway?" Sookie asked as Carla slid into the car.

"Well, I need a job don't I? And you really think that Eric will turn me away?" Carla surmised, shrugging the stiffness out of her shoulders.

Sookie began to drive.

"No, there's no way you can go and work there, just imagine what he will have you doing, you can't seriously be thinking about working for Eric Northman?" Sookie seemed genuinely surprised.

"You cannot pay the bills by yourself, if he does anything un-boss-like, I'll be leaving straight away, it's just the easiest option" Carla explained.

* * *

Sookie arrived at Fangtasia very quickly, definitely speeding just to get there and have a battle with Eric.

Though when they got inside the bar, even though it was open, Eric was no-where to be found. Pam was sitting in his office, straightening her outfit.

"Pam!" Sookie said, striding straight into the office. "Where's Eric?"

"He's out. King Bill wanted to see him" Pam raised an eyebrow, looking at Carla, glancing up and down. "Well, Eric said you looked different, but I wasn't expecting such a drastic improvement" Pam smiled.

Carla rolled her eyes.

"Pam, is there anything you can say to Eric that would help in me getting my house back?" Sookie said, getting Pam's attention back. "Every memory of every person I've ever loved is in that house, if there is anything you can do-"

"Did i miss something? Are we girls now? Did we join a book club and read some queer chick lit memoirs so now we're bonded together by estrogen or sisterhood or some other feminist dribble?" Pam went back to neatening her outfit.

"I don't do book clubs" Was Sookie's best come back. Carla leaned back against the wall of the office, and kept out of it.

"Neither do I, Eric is my maker Sookie, did you really think I'd side with you on this?" Pam walked past Sookie, to look at herself in the mirror on the wall.

"Are you expecting him back tonight?" Carla asked Pam.

"He usually checks in to count receipts before he goes to ground" Pam moved her hair about, making sure it fell perfectly.

"We'll wait here, if that's alright with you" Sookie said.

"Course" Pam agreed, heading out to the bar, though she paused before leaving.

"While you're waiting though, you really should reconsider his offer" Pam said, glancing between Sookie and Carla.

Carla pushed away from the wall, so she was standing up straight.

"And why is that Pam?" Carla put her hands on her hips, questioning the vampire.

"Beats a vampire getting either of you when you're most vulnerable" Pam answered.

"Well, not even a single vampire would be able to set foot inside Sookie's house if it wasn't for Eric buying it, we're in more danger than we ever have been because of him, now please go and do whatever you do here and leave us be" Carla growled.

Pam's fangs revealed themselves.

"Both of you stink of fairy and if you're not somebodies, you won't be at all" Pam threatened.

Carla balled her hands into fists.

Sookie took her hand and dragged her past Pam.

"Good bye Pam!" Sookie called, dragging Carla back to the car.

"Sookie, hey? What the hell?" Carla protested, but Sookie didn't say anything.

She shoved Carla into the car, and then walked around to the drivers side, starting the engine and heading back towards Bon Temps.

"Sookie?" Carla asked.

"Carla, I do not want to have you killing any vampires because of your unpredictable temper, I promised that I was done with vampires and after I have gotten my house back, we will be. If you happen to hurt a vampire, and they hold a grudge, that just means that we will be in a whole lot more trouble, trouble I don't want" Sookie went into full on rant mode.

"Very well" Carla agreed. Sookie was right, they didn't need anymore vampire drama, specially after this situation with Eric was over.

"Hey, is that Eric?" Sookie spoke up suddenly, her rant dying now. Looking far off along the road, there was a tall pale figure with no shirt on walking along the side of the road.

"I don't know, it might be..."Care spoke up, the figure still being quite far away.

As soon as Carla finished her sentence a wave a energy hit her. She instantly had a heavy gag reflex. Her body lunged forward, clutching onto the dashboard as emotions collided with her.

"Carla?!" Sookie glanced across at her, and slowed the car.

"It's Eric, he's terrified, he's alone... oh god, I think I'm going to be sick" Carla continued leaning forward. Sookie stopped the car.

The simple magnitude of Eric's fear was overwhelming their bond, it felt as if she was drowning and her whole body was panicking.

Carla pulled her car door open and pushed herself up and out.

She ran along the side of the road towards the back of the figure, who she knew was Eric. Something was terribly wrong, his emotions had never been so strong and vivid, apart from that night in the bar when he made his statement to the authority.

"Eric!" Carla called out.

The figure paused and glanced around, but then continued to walk.

Carla ran around him and in front of him, his eyes were wider than usual, he looked terrified, his face paler and his jaw more loose than usual.

"Eric?" Carla asked, not sure if he was himself.

"Who are you?" He questioned, looking Carla up and down.

"It's me, Carla, you know me..." Carla tilted her head to the side ever so slightly.

"N-No i don't" Eric stuttered out.

He leaned slightly closer to her, sniffing the air around her.

Carla took a step back.

"Why do you smell so good?" He questioned again.

"You know full well why I smell the way I do" Carla told him, standing her ground.

"Like wheat... and honey... and sunlight..." Eric began stepping closer.

His fangs sprung out. Carla jumped slightly, even though she was expecting it.

"Eric, stop!" Carla ordered.

"What are you?" Eric asked, leaning even closer to her.

Carla tried to take a step back, but tripped over her own feet. she fell back onto her bum, with the vampire towering over her.

Though before he could pin her to the ground, Sookie stepped in front of him and propelled her fist into his nose.

"Stop- right now!" Sookie shouted at the vampire.

"What'd you do that for? You broke my nose!" Eric complained, sounding so innocent.

Carla pulled herself up, and brushed herself off.

"Oh be quiet it'll heal in five minutes, you're a vampire" Carla muttered.

"I know what i am-! I just don't know who i am.." Eric explained, sounding so confused.

"Okay, what's the last thing you remember?" Sookie asked him.

"I don't know... i don't know!" Eric sounded frustrated.

"Alright, just be quiet" Carla stepped closer to Eric and raised her hands to put them on his cheeks, he flinched. Carla held them away for a moment.

"I won't hurt you, trust me" Carla smiled innocently at Eric and he nodded nervously.

Carla rested her palms on his cheeks, so she could have a better reception on his thoughts and could see his memories, since it had been a while since she had had his blood.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, it was simple to get inside his head, but indeed inside there was very little, his memories were almost all completely gone.

"What can you see?" Sookie asked.

"The sea, home, there's more, there's something else" Carla thought harder, concentrated on the last few hours.

"Her eyes, her cold empty eyes, they were reaching into me, emptying me" Carla and Eric spoke together, both reliving his memory. "And it was her, but it wasn't her, she was in a... in a circle, chanting and... uh... everything that I was... was taken from me..." Carla opened her eyes, she felt nauseous. She stepped back and leant on Sookie for support.

"Okay... well what are we going to do about this" Sookie asked, not sure if she was asking herself or Carla. Carla decided to speak up.

"Well we can't just leave him here on the side of the road, let's take him back to the house and call Pam, she'll know what to do" Carla suggested, quickly recovering from her giddiness.

Sookie agreed, though she was not so keen.

"Alright, we'll help you, but there are some ground rules, they do not get broken, or you're on your own... You do not touch either of us and you most certainly do not bite either of us" Sookie stared at Eric, waiting for his reply, as if he was still recovering from Carla poking around inside his head.

"It's fine- I swear it" Eric nodded, a small blood drip had trickled out of his nose and stopped on his lip, beginning to dry from where Sookie had punched him.

"Let's go then" Sookie said, walking back to the car, the two of them got into the front seats, with Eric in the back, his legs very cramped, to the point where Carla felt extremely guilty.

"I am grateful for this" Eric said to them both, glancing between them.

Sookie looked from him to Carla, and then back.

"Whatever" Sookie shrugged, earning her an intense glance from Carla. Sookie started the car again.

"It's fine Eric, you're more than welcome" Carla assured him, with a small smile, which strangely and completely out of character, Eric returned.

* * *

Upon arriving home, Sookie got out of the car first, and strode off towards the house.

"She's not pleased with me being here is she?" Eric asked Carla, who were still in the car.

"That doesn't matter" Carla shrugged, and got out, opening the door for Eric, and offering him a hand, which he took.

She quickly let it go though, and walked towards the house, telling herself not to get attached.

When Carla got inside the door, she called to Sookie.

"I'm upstairs, trying to find Eric some of Jason's old clothes, I'll be right down!" She called back. Carla sighed.

She turned around and Eric was still standing outside the door.

"Come on in, after all it's your..." Carla trailed off, remembering. Eric blinked at her. God, he was completely different. "Well, umm, you are more than welcome to enter this house Eric" Carla smiled. Eric stepped inside nervously.

"Ah- but, not the rug-" Carla said, noticing his muddy feet.

Eric stepped backwards quickly, as if he had stepped on red hot metal.

"Sorry, Sookie's mad about cleaning" Carla whispered.

"Oh" Eric said, stepping awkwardly around the large rug. "Sorry" He muttered sounding strangely ashamed.

"Just sit down on the couch and i'll be right back with some water and a blanket" Carla said, and Eric nodded slowly, wandering off.

Carla was back within a few moments, and found Eric where she had told him to wait, which was surprising.

He watched her come towards him and place down a bowl of water at his feet.

Carla stood up and wrapped a large brown blanket around the vampire's shoulders.

Carla knelt down a used a small cloth to rub the mud off of Eric's feet, his foot shivered in her hand and lurched backwards. Carla did as well, surprised.

Carla looked up. Eric was smiling down at her.

"Uh- it's tickly..." He said. Carla smiled.

She ran her finger along the sole of his foot.

He lurched backwards again, holding in his laughter.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist" She smiled, wiping the last of the mud off his feet.

Carla looked up and only then did she notice that Eric was leaned so far forward that his face was only a few centimeters away from hers.

"You are so beautiful" He told her, moving his eyes all over her face.

"Um..." Carla coughed awkwardly. "Thanks" She smiled and sat back on her legs, drying off Eric's feet with a towel she had brought.

Pam rushed into the house, causing the door to slam into the wall and the curtains to rustle.

"Who the fuck is she?!" Eric yelled, getting up at vamp speed, jumpy and nervous. Carla got up at the same time, as Sookie came plodding down the stairs, phone still in hand.

"Fuck!" Pam cursed, looking at Eric.

"Sorry-! Sorry- that was rude... I'm sorry" Eric apologized, looking to Carla for some sort of forgiveness.

"What do you know about what happened to you?" Pam asked Eric, who didn't reply.

"I wasn't expecting you so soon" Sookie muttered from behind Pam, crossing her arms.

"It was a witches spell" Carla spoke up, glancing at Eric, and then fixing her eyes on Pam. Sookie was staring at her confused. "What? Chanting, eyes, circle? Obvious?" Carla asked, unsure of whether it was.

"You have to hide him!" Pam ordered Sookie.

"No way!" Sookie refused outright.

Carla looked up at Eric, who looked back at her innocently. She reached down and squeezed his hand for reassurance.

"He's in danger!" Pam fought.

"And I'm sure you'll be able to protect him much better than I could!" Sookie bit back, determined to not have Eric stay.

"Sookie! I'll be the first place they'll look" Pam shouted back.

"They?" Sookie asked.

"The witches" Carla spoke up, glancing at Sookie.

"Oh, great, now I have to deal with witches, no! Not my problem!" Sookie continued to fight, while Eric seemed to become more and more nervous. It was making Carla's stomach churn, she reached down and caught his other hand, still facing away from him. He squeezed hers back.

"Actually, you're living in his house so it is your problem!" Pam informed her, backing Sookie into a corner.

"Uh, it's my house?" Eric asked, confused.

Sookie gave Eric a death glare and then turned back to continue with Pam.

"Thanks Pam- I'll just go to King Bill" Sookie decided. Pam suddenly flitted across the room so she was dangerously close to Sookie.

"Tell King Bill and I will rip you to pieces" Pam threatened.

Carla stepped forward, her arms sparking with light.

"Not before I turn you into ash" Carla growled.

Pam glanced at Carla, obviously fearful of her, she smiled in false pleasantry.

"Sookie, I believe that King Bill set Eric up to send him into the coven in Shreveport knowing it was a trap, wouldn't be the first time he tried to get rid of Eric" Pam explained in a much more calm and restricted manor.

"King Bill? When did that happen?" Carla asked, glancing between Sookie and Pam.

"Long story" Sookie admitted, shrugging.

"Because Eric tasted Sookie, he's so obsessed with keeping her this big secret when vampires can smell her a mile off" Pam grumbled.

"Oh, I did?" Eric said, with a grin.

"Yeah, against my will, so technically you fang raped me" Sookie told Eric.

"Oh... sorry" He stuttered nervously. Carla squeezed his hand gently.

"Promise me you won't got to Bill, I am sure he would use this as an excuse to get the AVL to sign off on assassinating Eric, I know he wants to. Eric has to stay here with you two and no one can know about it" Pam almost begged.

"Your call Sookie, it's your house after all" Carla said, hoping that Sookie would agree.

"Okay, but you are going to have to pay Carla for babysitting him, because she will be here all night, if you all are gonna keep messing with our lives- I ought to at least get something out of it god dammit" Sookie fought. Pam glanced at Eric, let out a sigh and agreed.

"Fine, three hundred a night, but you have to promise me you won't tell Bill, or anyone else for that matter" Pam laid down the law.

"Agreed" Sookie nodded and Pam left.

"Sookie did the get the clothes?" Carla asked, she nodded.

"They're upstairs in your room, I need some air" Sookie said, wandering off towards the kitchen.

"Come on Eric" Carla said, pulling him by his hand to get him moving and then dropping it. Don't get attached.

The vampire followed her up into her room, where she found a pair of shorts and a very large jean top with no sleeves.

"Here, I'll go outside" Carla said, leaving the vampire on his own to get changed. "I'll be downstairs when you're ready, just come to the lounge, I'll be in the room next to that" Carla explained, heading back downstairs.

She walked towards the wooden wardrobe where Sookie had found the cubby earlier, and pulled the doors open wide.

The hole inside was metal plated, with a metal ladder heading down into the darkness.

Carla held onto the ladder and followed the rungs down into the darkness, when her first foot hit the floor, the lights inside the room around her snapped on, making her jump a little.

"Carla?" Eric's voice called from at the top of the ladder, obviously done with dressing himself.

"It's okay, you can come down" Carla called up and the vampire started to climb down to meet her.

The room was quite small, but had a bed in the center with pristine sheets still completely flat on the bed There was also a wardrobe built into the wall over in one corner and a bedside table with a lamp on it.

"Wow, this really is my house" Eric said as he reached the bottom of the ladder.

"Yes, well I don't think it will be for much longer, Sookie is furious that you bought it" Carla smiled.

"You really live here? Both of you? In my house?" Eric asked, raising an eyebrow, quite out of character, though it was refreshing to see him so innocent and sweet.

"Yes" Carla said, nodding.

"Are you mine?" Eric asked, completely forward.

"Um, not really" Carla admitted.

"Do you belong to another vampire?" Eric continued with his questioning.

"Not at all" Carla answered.

"Would you like to be mine?" Eric asked outright.

Carla chuckled a little.

"What?" Eric sounded almost offended.

"Well, you're very different without your memories, don't get me wrong, I like it- innocent, very sweet" Carla giggled. "But no, I can't really be yours, though thank you for the offer"

"Why not?" Eric asked.

"Maybe that's a conversation for another night" Carla said, walking toward the ladder to go back upstairs, as it was nearly dawn.

Eric used his vamp speed to block her path, and stood right in front of her, very close, his intense eyes on her.

"Eric, remember the rules" Carla said, a little nervous.

"I just wanted to thank you, for all that you have done for me, you're really very kind" Eric began, taking deep gulps of her, far too close to her not to smell her potent scent.

"That's fine, now you need to get some rest and I need to go and see Sookie" Carla said, making excuses for her needing to go, not so much Eric though.

"What are you?" Eric asked.

"I'm between things at the moment, so I have no idea, again, another conversation for another night" Carla desperately tried to escape.

Eric stepped closer and Carla stepped back.

"Why did you stand up for that other vampire, Pam, and you won't stand up against me?" Eric asked.

"Well that's a silly question" Carla tried to remain calm, as her back hit the opposite wall and Eric was still coming towards her. "You're much older than Pam, much more dangerous and..."

"And?" Eric prompted, leaning closer.

"Eric" Carla stared right back into his intense eyes, "please, let me go" she begged.

Eric nodded, blinking quickly.

"I'm sorry" He leaned away again. "Of course" He stepped back slightly.

"Thank you" Carla said, just as Eric's fangs snapped out, making Carla jump properly this time.

"I'm sorry" Eric apologized, covering his fangs with his hand.

Carla simply stepped around him and climbed the ladder, closing the doors of the cupboard at the top.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed insomniac Eric! Thanks for coming to read my story, it's really appreciated, **

**See you next time!**

**-Shad out**


	30. Some Explaining

**Welcome back!**

**Just felt like putting out an update early, hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty - Some Explaining

* * *

Carla walked away from the wardrobe pretty quickly, not wanting Eric stooping over her again, at least not until her nerves recovered. She realized that since she had gotten back from wherever her and Sookie went, her nerves were shot, mostly around vampires, though she was very nervous of even talking to Sam the previous day.

She went to go and find Sookie, who was sat at the kitchen table reading a book.

"Hey, Sookie, thank you for letting Eric stay here" Carla said, taking a seat opposite her.

"You're very welcome, but it's not like I have much of a choice now is it" Sookie sighed, putting her book flat and open down on the table.

"Do you really not want him to stay?" Carla questioned outright, not wanting to dodge the topic.

"Not really, I am still getting back on my feet after being away for a year, all the funds I had had have been declared void because Jason wouldn't accept them. I need to sort that out, I also need to find a way to get my house back from the very vampire who has now forgotten he even owns it, plus I think I've had enough vampire trouble for a whole lifetime." Sookie let out another enormous sigh as she finished, her shoulders sagging slightly.

"Maybe you can find someone else who can look after him?" Carla asked, still in two minds whether she wanted Eric to go, or for him to stay.

"Well, i suppose i could do that" Sookie shrugged, "But who would have him?"

"Alcide?" Carla asked, remembering that the werewolf was obviously madly in love with Sookie, well was, a year ago.

"Maybe, I guess I will have to look him up in the phone book, hopefully I'll find him, though I doubt he will take him. I remember he said after the Russel affair all his debts would be settled with Eric" Sookie thought out loud.

"No harm in trying?" Carla asked, "If it gets Eric out of here then all the better for everyone right?" Carla wasn't so sure.

Sookie nodded. "Alright, I'll look for him tomorrow"

"Great, I'm going to go to bed, I'm exhausted, you have work tomorrow don't you?" Carla asked, getting up from her seat.

"Sam'll call me if he needs me" Sookie smiled.

"Alright, goodnight Sookie" Carla wandered off down the hall, towards the stairs.

"Good night" Sookie called after her.

* * *

The next day was again, very slow. Sookie left early to go and meet Alcide. Carla spent most of her time rearranging her bedroom, as the new furniture just looked to be in an odd place and it had bothered her all night.

Plus the fact she couldn't sleep much, as whenever she closed her eyes, she would wake up in a shower of sweat with her body glowing.

Another sleepless night.

As the sky began to darken outside her window, Carla made her way downstairs to the cubby to check on Eric.

She descended the ladder slowly into the darkness of the cubby, as she put her foot on the ground, the whole room lit up.

Eric sat up on the bed, looking startled.

"Sorry" She let go of the ladder, taking a step back from it. "I just came down to check on you, I didn't mean to wake you" Carla explained.

"Uh... that's fine, why?" Eric asked, his eyes wide and doe like.

"Because I wanted to make sure you were okay" Carla explained, shrugging.

"Okay" Eric said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

Carla came and sat next to him, glancing across at him.

"How did you look into my head last night?" Eric asked, breaking the silence.

"Because I've had your blood" Carla explained.

"Really?"

Carla nodded.

"Have I had yours?" Eric's face lit up with a smile.

"Not recently, no" Carla admitted.

"Oh..." Eric's smile faded slightly.

"What exactly are you?" Eric questioned, being very forward, how the new Eric was, though the new Eric wouldn't threaten you if you didn't reply.

"Well, like I said last night, I am between things at the moment" Carla turned her face away, resting her chin on her hand.

"What things?" Eric requested.

"Well one part is like Sookie, but more potent than Sookie, something called a fairy. The other part is something else entirely, called a druid" Carla explained.

Eric thought about this for a moment.

"How can you be two things at once?"

"Well, me and Sookie were taken to another place, before I went, I was shot and the fairies there gave me their blood to try and heal me" Carla began. "But, since my blood is very special, it tried to assimilate the fairy blood and for the first time, it couldn't, so instead, all this fairy power is rushing around my body and I can't release it. Normally my blood changes to whatever genetic make up the body it's inside is, but at the moment it's very confused, erratic and dangerous. I almost killed you the night before last because I couldn't control it... and well, I was a little angry at you"

"Oh... what did I do?" Eric asked.

"You told me that I was deeply in love with you and that soon I would accept it and be yours" Carla said, watching for Eric's reaction.

"And are you?"

"I... I don't know, honestly" Carla admitted. "Before me and Sookie left, we had a quite large disagreement and, I just don't know"

Carla pushed herself up off the bed. Eric was looking a little hurt and she felt guilty.

"Come with me" Carla took the vampire's hand, "I want to show you something" She smiled.

The two of them walked out to the garden, Eric following close behind Carla.

Carla dropped Eric's hand and morphed into her big cat form, which appeared white as a sheet now, lacking any markings.

Eric's eyes widened slightly.

"Wow" he said simply, walking all around her. "How do you do that?" He asked.

"It's just what I am" Carla sat back, her tail twitching upwards behind her.

"You can talk too? Wow-..." Eric was surprised and inquisitive.

"I can do a lot of things" Carla looked up at the vampire, teasing him.

A rustling sound came from deep in the woods around the house. Eric zipped to Carla's side, looking out into the darkened trees.

"What was that?" He asked, scouring the trees on the very edge for any signs of what might lay within.

"Probably just a mouse or something" Carla shrugged, turning around to face the trees also.

Eric flew off into the trees at vampire speed, as soon as Carla heard him leaving, she bounded after him.

"Eric! Stop! Where are you even going?!" Carla called out.

She found him standing in a small clearing in between the trees, looking around on the ground.

"Eric, you can't run off like that, you heard Pam last night, there are people out to get you" Carla padded closer to the vampire, out into the open where the moonlight struck the floor.

Eric was preoccupied looking out into the trees around him.

"Eric?" Carla tried to get his attention.

"What took you so long to catch up slow poke?" Eric teased, turning around and wandering back towards her.

"Hey! I would have been here sooner if you have given me some sort of warning" Carla complained.

"Oh, really?" Eric made his signature smile, but this time it was more cheeky and naughty than sadistic and hurtful. "Ready?" He asked, getting ready to run back towards the house.

Carla didn't answer, she just took off into the woods back to the house, not looking back.

She heard Eric getting closer and closer to her side, pushing himself off of the trees around him to push himself further ahead.

Carla kept herself moving, dodging between trunks and jabbing her claws deep into the dirt to maintain her leverage.

Eric poked his way ahead, breaking the tree line.

Carla pushed herself off the floor and into the air, leaping on top of the vampire.

She morphed back and he flipped onto his back.

She straddled him, her knees just under his armpits.

Carla panted. Eric didn't need too.

"Too slow" Carla laughed.

"I would have won" Eric assured her.

"Of course" Carla giggled.

Eric pushed her backwards with the movement of him pushing himself up with his arms, making her slide down from his chest to his hips.

She was still sat up straight.

Eric leaned in close, making his face closer to hers.

He nuzzled his nose into her cheek, causing her eyes to become heavy.

"Just stay away from me!" Sookie's voice shouted from the front of the house. Eric shot up from underneath Carla in the blink of an eye and ran round to the front of the house.

"Shit" Carla got up from the ground as fast as she could, tripping over her own feet as she did. "Eric! Come back here!" she ordered.

When she ran around the corner of the house she saw Eric drinking from the neck of a fairy, who was slowly withering and dying underneath him.

Carla continued to run at full speed towards him, forcing him off the fairy.

Unfortunately, the fairy was already dead and withered away back to her true form and then scattered into dust in the wind with a flash of brilliant golden light.

"You just killed my fairy godmother!" Sookie yelled from closer to the house.

Eric and Carla looked towards her, both with apologetic looks on their faces.

"S-s-sorry" Eric managed, stuttering.

"Okay, Eric, let's get back inside, I think you've had enough excitement for tonight" Carla stood up, offering her hand to Eric.

"Quickly, before any of her friends come!" Sookie told them, glancing around nervously.

Eric tried to stand up, but instead fell face first on the ground.

Carla looked up at Sookie, both wearing the same confused look.

"Eric?" Carla leaned closer and tapped his shoulder.

Eric groaned, pushing himself up shakily, groaning and giggling girlishly.

Once standing, he grinned widely.

"Hey!" He chuckled, showing off his large fangs and blood covered face.

He lurched towards Carla trapping her against a tree.

"Eric stop!" Sookie ordered.

"More! I want more..." Eric grumbled.

"You can't have anymore, there isn't anymore, you drank the whole fairy" Carla blurted out.

Eric leaned closer.

"Drink you" He leaned closely into her throat and Carla felt his fangs against her neck.

"Eric! Don't kill her!" Sookie screamed and Eric took a step backwards, still shaky and uneven on his feet.

Eric looked over towards Sookie and then back down at where Carla was lent up against the tree her eyes wide and terrified.

"I would never harm you" Eric withdrew his fangs, in quiet assurance.

Carla nodded, blinking quickly.

"Eric, back to the cubby before you end up dead by some vengeful fairies" Sookie ordered.

Eric giggled, like a child refusing to go to bed, he didn't follow Sookie back to the house.

He grabbed Carla by the neck and pressed his bloodied lips against her but pulled away quickly.

"Eric! Get back in the house!" Carla ordered.

Sookie turned around to face them again.

Eric giggled, using his vampire speed to zip around.

Carla ran over towards Sookie, who was calling Eric.

"Eric, get back in your cubby!" Sookie yelled out into the forest.

"Never" His voice whispered from behind the two, his body towering over them.

They both turned around in unison.

"You're drunk" Carla said, glancing up and down the vampire.

Sookie signed.

"Eric, it'll be dawn soon" Sookie tried to persuade him, outright lying.

"I don't care" He shrugged, running off into the forest.

"Eric!" Both called after him.

"Crap, I'll go and get him" Carla morphed, ready to chase after the vampire. "If I'm not back by morning, call someone" She ran off into the forest, following Eric's scent.

"Carla! Call who?!" Carla heard Sookie yell from behind her, but Carla couldn't wait any longer. Eric was fast, and she had to be faster and completely on the ball to follow his scent.

* * *

It took a few hours to catch up to Eric and Carla trotted to a walk, walking around the edge of a large pool that came off some of the swamp which was all around Bon Temps.

Eric's scent ended here.

She morphed back and ran to the edge of the pool.

"Eric?!" Carla called across the water, hoping he was somewhere nearby.

Carla felt a hand grab her shoulder, she swung around.

Eric was there, a large grin on his face, lacking all of his clothes.

"Come! Swim with me!" Eric asked, grabbing her hand and pulling her right to the edge, he dived into the murky water, surfacing far off the shore.

"Eric, come back with me! It's almost dawn" Carla called across the water.

The sun was beginning the light the sky, though it was not in sight, the soft light was reaching up all over the sky and at the very peaks of the tall trees and undergrowth around the marsh.

"I don't care! I want to swim in the morning sun, I want to feel it on my skin, I want to feel warm" Eric said back, spreading out on the water, his body buoyant.

Carla pulled her shirt and jean shorts off, dropping them at the side of the water.

She dived into the water.

She surfaced and looked around for Eric, who had disappeared.

Her hair was sodden and clinging onto her skin.

She felt a grip on her ankle and she was pulled under the surface.

Eric.

Carla let him pull her down, though as he let her go when she was completely submerged and headed for the top.

Carla snatched his ankle, pulling him back under and yanking him right to the bottom, where reeds and weeds scattered the ground.

Eric wrapped his arms around her waist, breaking free from her grip on his ankle, he pushed himself back towards the top, still holding onto her.

They both broke the surface together, she gasped for air, her body starting to go numb with the lack of it.

He didn't let her go, laying back on the surface of the pool, their wet bodies against each other, he held her on top of him, out of the water.

He spread his hands out, stroking her skin.

"Eric, we need to go back to the house" Carla continued to try and persuade him to come back, worried for him.

Eric shrugged.

"I'm not afraid- I am Ægir, god of the sea" He joked. " And you are Rán, my sea goddess"

Carla laughed, the sun spread up into the sky, but Eric was completely unaffected.

Must be the fairy blood, Carla thought.

"Eric, we really should leave, there are huge alligators in these swamps- I don't really want to get eaten" Carla moved off Eric, turning around to face her.

"Do not fear fair maiden, for I will protect you with my life- I shall slay all of the sea monsters" Eric swam closer, wrapping one long muscular arm around her, pulling her next to him.

"Eric.." Carla whispered.

Eric moved his face closer to hers, stroking his nose next to hers.

The hand he had around her snaked its way into her hair, spreading out from the nape up into her hair.

She looked from Eric's eyes down to his mouth and back.

"Eric... you're not yourself" Carla tried to move away, but he held her firm.

"On the contrary... I've never seen more clearly" Eric came back.

Carla blinked slowly, her eyes flitting from his lips to his eyes as they inched ever closer.

"Carla? Eric!" Carla and Eric both turned around to see Sookie on the bank, with a wolf next to her, who she assumed was Alcide. She must have been longer than she thought she was.

"Sookie, where have you been! Come play with us!" Eric called.

Sookie was carrying a blanket in her arms.

"No, Eric, what are you doing you crazy viking get back to the house right now before you sizzle up like fat back bacon!"

"And leave the sun to the water? Never!" Eric spread out, gliding along the water.

Alcide morphed back into his human form, looking down at Sookie.

"He really is different" Carla heard him say to Sookie.

"Hey! Get away from her!" Eric swam forward, his fangs produced from his gums, standing in front of Carla defensively.

"Eric! Stop it, he's your friend!" Carla moved forward, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"He's no friend of mine" Eric snarled.

"Sookie wants me here!" Alcide told him.

"Prepare to die you stinking mutt!" Eric threatened.

"Take a shot you dumb shit fanger!" Alcide yelled back, not helping matters, growling at the vampire with amber eyes.

Carla finally lost it.

A flash of ground rumbling energy spread from her body and caused the other three to lose their footing momentarily.

"Just! Stop!" Carla yelled.

Eric hunched over, groaning.

The sun was starting to burn him. Carla swam next to him, getting footing on the bottom of the water, supporting him with her body.

She walked him to the shore, where Sookie wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, he held it around himself.

"I don't want to, we can, I don't want the darkness" Eric whimpered, weakened by the sunlight on his skin.

"You need to vamp speed back to the house, quickly! We'll be right behind you" Carla whispered in the vampire's ear, and he glanced back at her, doing as he was told.

Alcide morphed and followed the vampire. Carla decided to abandon her clothes, and morphed, running back towards the house. She quickly overtook Alcide and was back at the house when Eric was making his way into his cubby.

Carla joined him at the bottom.

He was sat on the end of his bed.

"Are you okay?" Carla asked, moving in front of him, having morphed back she realized she had only her underwear on, she ignored it and hoped that Eric would also.

"Yes, now I am" He said in a stroppy voice, like a child that had been scolded after misbehaving.

"Let me check" Carla leaned over him, looking at his back, which was now all healed, as he was out of the sun. "All healed, now you need to sleep, or you'll get the bleeds"

"I don't want to" He replied.

"Well then, bleed everywhere, you'll have to clean it up though, because I'm not, and Sookie will definitely not" Carla turned away, about to climb the steps upwards.

"Stay with me" Eric asked.

Carla turned back and looked over her shoulder, still on the ladder.

"I can't, I need to speak with Sookie, if you sleep, I'll be back in moments, I promise you" Carla smiled at him, and he nodded, appearing a little unsure.

Carla pulled herself up the ladder, closing the cupboard behind her.

Sookie was standing there, offering her a dressing gown.

Carla thanked her and took it, pulling her soaked underwear off and pulling the dressing gown on, needing a shower.

"What were you doing with him back there? Where you two kissing? What are you doing? You said that you would never let him near you again" Sookie began her lecture.

Carla sighed.

"Listen, he's different, completely and utterly changed, even you can see that, even Alcide can see that. So what if I was kissing him? I am a grown woman and I can love who I want to love, kiss who I want to kiss and do whatever I damn well like. I can't help that I like him, if you hate seeing it that much, then shove him off onto Alcide for all I care... I am not attached" Carla grumbled, walking out into the lounge, knowing that she could not help how attached she now was to Eric.

"Okay, but he is still a killer, Eric Northman will never stop being Eric Northman. Once he has his memories back, he will be the same old vampire he has always been and there's not a single thing you can do about it, it'll be just like what happened in Dalla. You're still not even over that otherwise you wouldn't be running back to him!" Sookie was more sad about this truth than hateful. "I'm sorry, but Alcide can't take him on, he has to stay here"

"Well who else am I supposed to love? Or maybe I am not supposed to love at all, who would you have me love? Alcide? Who is completely infatuated with you. Bill, who is in the same boat? Sam? Who hates my guts? And everyone else in this damn town thinks I'm completely nuts because I live with you!" Carla stared at Sookie, waiting for an answer, but she was silent, glancing behind her at something.

Carla swiveled around to see Alcide standing behind her, looking confused and also staring up and down her body, though the embarrassing parts were covered, ogling a little too much for her liking.

"Listen, I know this is the first time you've seen me in a year and I'd like to take his moment to thank you for bringing Sookie to me and coming over, but it is very obvious, the very way you look at her shows that you still haven't moved on from Mississippi." Carla looked back towards Sookie. "I will take my chances with Eric Northman, whether he is the same when he finally remembers or reverts to his normal self, either you or me will be able to say I told you so- now if you please, I am going to go and have a shower" Carla growled, storming upstairs.

* * *

Carla woke up laying on the bathroom floor, her skin still moist and most of the shower curtain on the floor with her.

Whatever injuries she had sustained from the fall had been healed by the sun creeping into the room, but now it was dusk.

Her body had been so exhausted that she had fallen asleep mid way through her shower. She quickly hurried to get dressed and try to keep herself awake, as she was still missing close to a whole night of sleep.

She pulled on a nightie with no underwear and almost fell into her bed, hugging most of the covers close to her chest.

It felt like as soon as she closed her eyes she was opening them again, startled awake by something, but more likely simply by the heat of her room, considering she was so hot.

She sat up, sighing deeply, the room was pitch black, she had no idea if Sookie was back and honestly she didn't really care.

She shuffled to the edge of the bed and pushed herself up onto her feet.

Carla made her way to the window and pushed it open, then out of her room to splash some cold water on her face in the bathroom.

On her way back into the room, she tripped over something in her doorway, falling forward onto her arms, she flipped over on her back and rubbed her eyes.

She sighed. "Fuck" Her knee was aching, she must have hit it in the fall.

She pulled herself to her feet, and reached for the light switch on the wall.

As the light snapped on, light bursting out into every corner of the room.

She looked down into the corner and saw Eric curled up there, his face stained with blood.

Carla gasped.

"Eric?! What are you doing here?" Carla asked, trying to keep weight off her leg.

"I-i had a bad dream" He whimpered, inhaling deeply through his nose, making a snuffling sound.

"Oh" Carla blinked, smoothing down her nightie to make sure that nothing was exposed. "Come on, you can't sit in the corner, get up" Carla stepped back slightly, so he could get up.

He didn't move.

"Come on" Carla offered him her hand and he took it. She led him over to the bed, limping.

"Wait here a moment, I'll get you something to clean yourself up with" Carla indicated his tears and limped back to the bathroom to get a towel for him. She made her way back as quick as she could.

"Are you hurt?" Eric looked up at her, pointing to her leg.

"It's nothing, I just bumped it when I tripped over you, that's all" Carla shrugged, sitting back down on the bed and pulling herself to the corner, part of her back on the pillows, the other half against the wall, half way between lying down and sitting up.

"So, tell me what happened" Carla said to Eric, his back turned to her from where he was on the edge of the bed.

He laid back on the bed, his head on her tummy, his legs long enough to poke off the end of the bed with his feet still completely on the floor.

She was a little surprised, though she shouldn't be, it was still strange to her how different Eric was.

"There was a man, he was a vampire… he was in the house and told me to drain you both- you and Sookie. He told me that I was incapable of love, that I was damned. He had all these markings on his body, he was so much stronger than me and- well, we both attacked you" Eric explained. Carla stroked his hair, trying to make him less tense.

"Did he have a marking just below his collar bones that went over his shoulders and his back? Like a long necklace of spikes?" Carla asked.

Eric took a moment to think hard, trying to remember.

"Yes, i think. Yes he did" He nodded.

"He's Godric, your maker... though he was very different to the way you are describing him" Carla told him.

"Oh, how?" He asked.

"Well he would have never said that to you, he adored you, he also helped to save human lives. He barely fed to up hold this fact and he was so guilty and ashamed about his past in which he felt he had done many bad things, that he met the sun, I was there" Carla explained.

"I don't even know why I'm crying" Eric shrugged, wiping some of the blood from his face with the towel she had brought him.

"Most of the time it's the shock, I wouldn't worry about it" Carla smiled, stroking the vampire's hair across his forehead.

"He said I was evil" Eric recapped again.

"It was only a dream, they don't mean anything" Eric sat up, leaning forward on the side of the bed, putting his large hands over his face, rubbing his eyes.

Carla shuffled forward, leaning on her arm next to Eric. Her legs laid together on the side of the bed, her other arm free to rub his back comfortingly.

"Am I evil?" Eric asked her outright, turning to face her, his hands still close to his face.

"No, you're not perfect- well no one is, but I definitely wouldn't call you evil" Carla smiled and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close, resting his head in her breasts.

Carla felt a little awkward, but she told herself he only wanted to be comforted, even if he didn't, she didn't really care.

"Thank you" Eric sniffled.

"For what?" Carla looked down at the top of his head, as it was all she could see.

"For being so kind" Eric rubbed his head against her, like a cat getting comfortable in a chair.

"Not like I had much of a choice, you own the house" Carla shrugged. Though secretly she knew that it was more than that.

"Do i also own you?" Eric asked.

"I suppose not" Carla shuffled backwards so her back was propped up by the pillows, away from Eric's embrace.

"I'm sorry, are you tired? Do you want me to leave so you can sleep?" Eric asked, unsure.

"Do you want to leave?" Carla questioned back.

Eric simply shook his head at her.

"Then stay, but I do need to rest, I've barely slept in about three days and I am exhausted, you have to leave at dawn though" Carla yawned loudly, shuffling her legs down the bed, leaving the duvet right at the bottom as she didn't need it. Her body already feeling as if it was overheating with the window and door wide open and only a thin nightie on.

"Okay" Eric shuffled up in the bed behind her, tucking his arm around her waist and laying his body against hers, not sexually, simply to show he wanted to be close to her. "Thank you" he whispered, close to her ear.

Carla shuffled back into him, loving the cool feeling of his skin on hers.

He pushed his arm under her head, allowing her to use it as a pillow.

Eric lowered his head so it was in her hair, breathing in breaths of her.

It didn't take long for her to drop off into a peaceful sleep that was not interrupted or disturbed by the feeling of her body being unable to expel the heat it was producing.

* * *

**Thanks for taking your time to read, i hope you enjoyed, of course, if you didn't, or if you'd like to tell me anything about my fanfiction, suggestions on where to take it, interactions you like in the chapter, please tell me in a review.**

**Hopefully see you next chapter,**

**-Shad out**


	31. Found Out

**Welcome back, thanks for coming back, hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-one - Found Out

* * *

Eric had laid behind Carla for the last few hours of the night, but he knew dawn was coming and he had to go back to his cubby to rest for the day.

He moved his arm from under the girl's head and the purring sound that she had been emanating paused until he gently placed her head on the pillows.

Shuffling down the bed, pulling his body reluctantly away from her, he pushed himself off the side of the bed and took one more long look at her.

Her pale skin and hair were pulsing slowly with golden light and her skin was hot to the touch.

He traced his fingers up her leg, the way Godric had done in his dream feeling her skin against his palm.

She twitched, still purring noisily.

Eric glanced back at the window, the first rays of sunshine hitting the trees a few meters away from the house.

He used his vamp speed to get back to his cubby as fast as he could, closing the doors and receding down the ladder.

Eric looked back at his bed, the place he would spend the day and sighed.

He wished he was able to stay with her, he didn't know what it was, but something about her was familiar, like seeing the roads and lanes leading to your house and then taking the final turn up your driveway to see that now, finally, you're home. You're safe, everything is just how you left it and as long as you're there, it won't ever change.

Eric laid down on the bed, and closed his eyes, hoping that the day would be swift.

* * *

Carla woke up in her bed, the sun streaming through the window and into her eyes and her body overheated.

She sighed, getting up to close her blinds.

Then, she headed for her wardrobe to get something out, before heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

Within moments of lathering up her hair she heard Sookie slamming on the door.

"What?!" Carla shouted over the rush of water.

"I'm going to work in an hour, i need a shower, please hurry up!" Sookie called to her, sounding very grouchy.

"Alright" Carla called back, keeping it in mind Sookie was the only one with a job right now, though Pam might have been paying her to look after Eric, it wasn't exactly a long term thing.

Carla finished up as quickly as she could and patted herself down with a towel, before pulling on her undies, button up shirt and jeans that she had pulled out of her wardrobe.

She opened the bathroom door and found Sookie outside, clutching a towel and her work clothes.

"Well someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning" Carla commented as Sookie pushed past her, dropping her things on the bathroom floor.

"Well, sorry, but I'm the only one with a job to go to today" Sookie grumbled.

"Hey, if I wasn't sat at home babysitting Eric Northman I would get a job, but being up most the night doesn't help my sleeping cycle" Carla bit back.

"Fine, I'll talk to Holly today at work and ask where her group meets up, see if I can get in there later on and meet the leader, but that's only if I find out to see what they're all about" Sookie grumbled, walking towards the door of the bathroom about to close it.

"Listen, Sookie, I'm sorry, I shouldn't get angry at you, it's your house and I know you're kind enough to let me stay here" Carla explained, feeling a little guilty about being blunt with her when it was her good will that was allowing her to stay in the house.

"It's fine, I'm sorry for being in a frightful mood" Sookie took a breath and then smiled, her head sticking out the door before she closed it to get in the shower.

Carla wandered back into her room. She decided she'd wait for Sookie to leave before she found something to do in the house.

* * *

It was quite late into the evening when Carla heard a knock on the door. She'd been dusting and hoovering all the of the rooms in the house and was expecting Sookie back soon.

She made her way to the front door, cleaning rag still in hand.

She pulled the door back and saw Tara again, obviously come over to see Sookie.

"Hey, is Sookie in?" Carla sighed, remembering the Tara from a long time ago, boisterous and full of witty comebacks and hatred for most people. The woman she used to work behind the bar with at Merlotte's. God how everything had changed, it only felt like a few weeks.

"She'll be home soon, you can come in if you like, I'm just finishing the kitchen" Carla replied, letting her in.

As if on cue, Sookie's car pulled up the drive and she pulled herself out of it, all flustered as if she had been running.

Carla held the door open until she came up the porch, her bag over her arm and her face all red.

"You okay?" Carla asked, looking the blonde up and down.

"Yeah, I just had a bad time, I met the leader of the coven and-"

"Sookie? Is this a bad time? Again?" Tara came through from the lounge, smiling.

"Not at all, I'll get that ice cream and we can have a sit down" Sookie said, smiling back at her. "I'll tell you later" Sookie whispered.

Carla walked back through to the lounge, as did Tara, sitting opposite each other.

Sookie walked through a moment later, minus her bag.

"So, how're things with you? Thanks for doing the house today Carla, it looks great" Sookie commented, sitting down next to Tara and handing her the ice cream and a spoon.

"No worries, not like I have much to do during the day anyway, being without a job and all" Carla leaned her head on her palm, laying out on the couch.

"What do you mean you haven't got a job? You were an excellent bar tender, did Sam refuse you?" Tara asked.

"Yeah, was my own fault really, I said some pretty grim stuff to him before all of that shit in Mississippi" Carla sighed again.

"I can't fucking believe that asshole" Tara spooned some ice cream into her mouth.

"Anyway, tell us more about what's been happening to you, we're the ones who've been away for a year" Sookie said, smiling at her.

"Well, so have I really" Tara dug the spoon into the ice cream pot again. "I met someone, Naomi" Tara smiled, spooning more ice cream into her mouth.

"Naomi? A girlfriend?" Sookie asked, surprised.

"Well I didn't plan it" Tara shrugged. "Just kinda fell for her"

"And all these years we've been friends and you've never..." Sookie said.

"It ain't like that with you" Tara assured her.

"I was gonna say you never knew you liked girls" Sookie replied.

"Never did before" Tara shrugged again. "You got more ice cream?" Tara asked, having finished off the small pot.

"Sorry, we're all out" Sookie started looking nervous, glancing out the window and then behind her at the cupboard that was the top of the ladder down to Eric's cubby.

Then Carla worked it out, she glanced back out the window, it was dark.

"So, when do we get to meet her?" Carla asked Tara, trying to keep her talking.

"She doesn't know about you, any of you" Tara explained.

"O-oh" Sookie said.

"Hell, she don't even know about me" Tara added. "I've been lying to her, Sook, she thinks I'm at my Grandmother's funeral in Atlanta... hell she thought my name was Toni" Tara began to spill everything.

"Toni? Why?" Sookie asked.

"Because I hate this place, I hate what it did to me and I want to fucking bury it... I'm back here twenty minutes and Eric-fucking-Northman wants to kill me" Tara sounded as if she was close to tears. "And now Naomi found a bunch of stuff with my real name on it, she's gonna break up with me and I don't blame her" Tara shrugged off.

Sookie cuddled closer to her.

Carla looked up and saw Eric stepping out of the cupboard, her eyes widened.

"I'm getting a little chilly, I'll go grab a blanket" Carla smiled, getting up and walking behind the couch to get a blanket from the same room Eric was in.

He had stopped where he was, thankfully and Tara was cuddling into Sookie's shoulder.

Carla walked toward Eric and pointed down the ladder, placing a finger over her lips to tell him to be quiet and furiously indicating towards the ladder as if he should go back down.

He simply looked very confused.

"Do you love her?" Sookie asked, trying to continue to conversation and keep her attention off what was happening behind them.

"Yes- I love her, of course I love her." Tara replied, very sure.

"Then you've got to fight for her..." Sookie sighed, sounding a little distant.

"That's easy advice to give, but would you forgive Bill? If he were here right now fighting for you? Would you forgive him?" Tara asked, Sookie went silent.

Carla pulled Eric by the arm to the side of the cupboard so they were out of sight.

"We're talking about you" Sookie said.

"That's what I thought" Tara replied. "Anyway I told so many lies I don't know where to start"

Carla tried to speak when they were, so they would not hear her whispers.

"Eric, get back in the cubby" Carla ordered, he shrugged.

"Why?" He mouthed, like an unruly child, having to ask questions before following instruction.

"I'd start with your name" Sookie told her.

"Ya think?" Tara sighed.

"You gotta be honest with the people you love" Sookie told her.

"Just do it!" Carla whispered furiously at him and he walked around the cupboard to do so.

This was when Tara turned around to follow Sookie's gaze and she caught sight of Eric, who then caught sight of her when she let out a very loud scream.

Eric didn't react until Tara picked up a poker for the stove and waved it around in front of herself.

"Tara! Calm down!" Sookie ordered, but she ignored Sookie.

"Keep the fuck away!" Tara shouted at Eric.

Eric produced his fangs and walked towards her, pulling the poker out of her hands.

"Eric! Stop!" Carla stepped forward into the room and Eric looked back at her, hiding his fangs again and stepping back towards her.

"What the hell is he doing here?!" Tara demanded, her voice raised.

Carla stepped in front of Eric, just in case Tara struck out at him, also if he struck out at her.

"I live here" Eric shouted over Carla's shoulder.

"What?! You told me he was missing" Tara stared furiously at Sookie.

"It's not what you think" Sookie demanded, trying to make her understand.

"I just poured out my heart to you and you talked about telling the truth and being honest, while you got somebody who wants to kill me in your basement, you're a fucking hypocrite!" Tara yelled into Sookie's face.

"Tara, wait!" Sookie said, trying to make the woman let her explain. "Something happened, he's different, he's not gonna hurt you" Sookie assured her.

"He's a psycho murdering asshole!" Tara yelled back.

"No, he's not, I promise you" Carla said back.

"You two both have a short goddamn memory, this is the fucker who sold you out to Russel Edgington, both of you and you! You went back to help him and look what he did to you? I didn't see you again after that, I thought you were dead! Sookie had no idea what happened to you! He locked Lafayette in a dungeon and tortured him! You hate Eric Northman!" Tara spat out the words that them both.

"Tara, please-..." Carla tried to reason with her.

"Fuck all of you!" Tara screamed back, running out of the house. Sookie followed.

Carla sighed and collapsed on the couch, rubbing her face with her hands.

"Did I really do all those terrible things your friend said I did?" Eric asked, sitting down on the other end of the couch, looking straight at her.

She leaned back into the chair and nodded, not meeting his gaze.

"Then-... then why are you letting me stay with you?" Eric asked her, completely sincere.

"Because it's your house. Sookie allowed you to say, it was far from my decision" Carla looked up at him, there was real guilt in his eyes.

"But last night, you let me stay with you, you comforted me when I was upset. You explained things to me and let me run with you, let me swim with you... you cannot tell me that you did not want me to stay" Eric summarized the last few days, staring at her intensely.

"Yes" Carla said after a pause. "I wanted you to stay" She said simply.

"Because?" Eric prompted.

"Because" Carla sighed, blinking at him, not sure if it was the time to say it. "Because, Eric, I knew that deep inside you, soon after we had met, you had feelings, underneath that charade, that bullshit that you kept covering the inside, your shell. Inside, you were deep and you were tender, you felt, like any other thing on this earth, you were capable of feeling. I was there the night your maker left, you were in pieces, everything that was the Eric everyone knew was gone, that was you, the real you, the feeling you"

Carla shuffled closer to him on the couch, on her knees, the tips of them touching the side of his leg, her hands rested on her legs, still looking him straight in the eye.

"I've told you this before, but since you don't remember, I may as well tell you again. Eric Northman, no matter how much I try to be the good girl that never gets into trouble and I try to be the one that saves others, instead of having to save myself" Carla moved closer, putting her arms either side of Eric's head, holding on to the couch behind, climbing onto his lap, straddling him. Eric looked slightly surprised, but also had a tinge of the grin that had become his stereotype.

"I cannot stop myself from loving you" Carla looked down into his eyes. He hugged her close resting his face on her shoulder blade.

She pulled back slowly, letting her hand lay on his shoulder and then slowly moved up so her thumb was underneath his chin, pushing his face up to look into her eyes.

Carla slowly lowered her face to his, her eyes fluttered closed and she felt his nose against the side of hers.

He pressed his lips against hers, accepting her loving embrace, he stroked his hand up her back and to her cheek, stroking down to the small of her back again. He pulled her closer to him, yearning for their bodies to be close, pressed together, with no space to separate them.

Eric laid her down on the couch, so he was on top, in between her legs. He let his hands run up and down her body, gliding all over her as they kissed, not sure where he wanted to put his hands, as if he wanted them everywhere at once.

Carla laid one hand on the back of Eric's head, feeling his soft hair between her fingers, the other was on his hip, lifting his shirt up and off.

Eric responded by tearing the front of her shirt open, causing some of the buttons to pop off and scatter onto the floor. He stroked his hand down her chest, his fangs emerging from his gums as Carla could feel them behind his lips as they kissed and she ran her tongue along them.

Suddenly they were noisily interrupted by Bill crashing in through the front door, fangs produced and snarling.

Eric shot up off Carla and ran at him in vamp speed, as did Bill.

Bill slammed Eric's body against the door frame between the porch and the lounge, his hand around his throat. But Eric was much stronger and faster, he did the same on the opposite frame, lifting the vampire off his feet and strangling him ferociously.

Carla pushed herself up so she was standing up straight.

"Eric! Bill! Stop this right now!" Carla ordered.

Eric threw the vampire into the fire place and turned, ready to follow and attack him while Bill was laying flat on the ground, obviously waiting for the injuries sustained from the throw to heal.

Carla moved in front of Bill, so Eric stopped in front of her, looking down into her serious eyes.

"Stop" Carla ordered in a low voice, her body flashing with energy.

"Who is the vampire and what is he to you?!" Eric shouted his order into her face. She didn't flinch and just looked back at him before replying.

"He is nothing to me. But, he is your king" Carla informed him and Eric's eyes lost their hate, he retracted his fangs. Behind Carla, Bill had gotten up, his fangs still out, he looked over Carla's shoulder at Eric.

Carla turned around to look at Bill, who was very surprised and confused.

"My liege" Eric regarded Bill, dropping to his knees. "Forgive me" He requested.

Carla could only wonder how Bill had found out that Eric was here. Sookie had not explained how Bill was King, but Carla had an idea that it was another lovely web of lies that he had spun while they were gone.

* * *

Bill dragged Eric back to his mansion on the other side of the graveyard, which had been heavily refurbished since what it looked like previously, lavishly decorated all over, inside and out.

Bill made sure that Eric was escorted in with guards having guns trained on him, so he could not flee.

"Bill, I understand that you can do this with your power as King, but I assure you, if you do, you will have me to deal with" Carla warned.

"Carla, do not bring your feelings for Eric into this, this is simply my duty as King. Eric is under a necromancer's spell and we are all in danger" Bill proclaimed, so sure he was right, he knew nothing.

"Trust me, if he was a danger to anyone, I would know about it. He is alone and he is terrified, all that he was is gone, you're making a huge fucking mistake" Carla growled back.

"Your majesty, whatever I am guilty of I assure you that Carla or Sookie were nothing to do with it" Eric spoke up. "She was and is only protecting me"

"How touching" Bill replied sarcastically. "Silver him"

"Bill, please, I will do anything, please, just don't hurt him" Carla took a step forward towards Bill, who stepped back nervously.

"Take him to the cell" Bill ordered.

"Carla, there is no need to continue to protect me, what you've done already is too much" Eric told her, as he was taken down into the basement of the building.

Bill didn't follow them, he simply turned around to face Carla again.

"You don't understand, I took an oath to protect the vampires of Louisiana and he is dangerous" Bill assured her.

"You should take me up on my offer. Just do not hurt him, I will do anything, just.. please" Carla told him, making sure to hold back tears, not showing him weakness.

Bill paused for a moment. "Why didn't you let Eric kill me?" Bill asked, glancing up and down her body. "Or even kill me yourself? You have enough motive?"

"You really think that Sookie would ever forgive me if I killed you? You think there is something to gain from adding you to my body count? I will have the authority after me plus everyone else who wants me dead. Also, do you think me so heartless that I'd leave your progeny without a maker? But- that said... trust me, I would do all of those things. If I feel Eric die, you will be next" Carla warned, giving him a stern look before turning away and leaving through the door. She rushed back across the lawn to Sookie's house.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, hopefully i will see you in the next chapter, thanks for your time reading my story!**

**There will be some naughty smut coming up in the next chapter, so i'll change the rating to M when i publish it.**

**Yes, i have been watching the new true blood season as it has been coming out, seeing Eric all hopeless is so depressing to say the least, he's lost all his previous badassness, hopefully they find a cure before we lose are favorite blonde vampire viking. :)**

**P.S Sorry the chapter is a little short, the next one will be back to its usual length.**

**PP.S Love you all 3**

**As always, until next time,**

**-Shad out**


	32. A Ravishing Reunion

**Welcome back, good to see you and thanks for coming back to spend your time reading some more of my story! Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-two - A Ravishing Reunion

* * *

The next afternoon Carla finally gave up on trying to get some rest and made her way downstairs, having gotten in last night and gone straight to her bed to try and sleep she just caught Sookie about to go out the door.

"I'm just going to see Jason, he's not answering his phone and i'm worried about him, I'll probably be back in a few minutes" Sookie told her.

"Oh, well, i think the Eric problem is over now, just to tell you. Bill found out that he was here and he said he is a danger to everyone, I get the impression he is going to kill him" Carla muttered, heading for the kitchen. But Sookie stopped her.

"Really? Well he can't do that, he's obviously not a danger to anyone, he's so different" Sookie said back.

"Bill seems to think that he is, he came in here last night and took him away, there was nothing I could do" Carla frowned.

"I'm sorry Carla, if you like, I can leave work today and ask Jason if there is anything he can do" Sookie hugged her comfortingly.

"Well, I don't think you should piss off Sam, considering you're the only one of us with the job at the moment" Carla shrugged.

"Nonsense, he'll be fine with it, I'll be back soon" Sookie walked out of the door, pulling it shut behind her.

"Bye, Sookie" Carla muttered.

* * *

As the sun went down and Sookie was still not back. Carla went to go and find her phone in her room, seeing she had a message, as well as over twenty missed calls, she investigated.

_Hi, spoke to Jason. He seems to think he's turning into the were panther or something._

_Am staying with him for the night to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid._

_He also said that the police couldn't get involved, the law says that vampire business is vampire business._

_Also called Bill, tried to convince him that Eric is nothing like he used to be and definitely not dangerous._

_Unfortunately after the conversation got very heated he claimed that the matter was out of his hands._

_Will see you soon, would have preferred to tell you over the phone, but I couldn't get a hold of you._

_I am so sorry._

_Love, Sookie x_

Carla threw her phone onto her bed, heading back downstairs. She decided it was time to use force. She wouldn't simply allow Bill to kill Eric, not when he was nowhere near dangerous, and more terrified and alone than ever.

She rushed across the graveyard, stopping at the low iron fencing that marked the end of the cemetery and the start of King Bill's land.

She saw Bill carrying a wooden stake, aiming it right over Eric's chest as he was knelt down in front of him, restrained by two guards, which another standing behind him, his gun raised and trained on Eric's back, in case he tried to escape.

Carla rushed across the grass, calling out for Bill to wait, the vampire glanced up and Eric turned to look who it was, as did the guards. The one who was aiming his gun at Eric turned and aimed it at her.

"Halt!" the guard ordered, but she didn't stop until she was a few steps away from the vampires.

"Bill, please, think about this- I can owe you, anything you want... please" Carla sniffled slightly, her outer shell breaking. "Please don't do this!" She shouted at him through her tears, forcing her voice to stay steady.

Bill lowered the stake, glancing between his prisoner and the druid.

"Please..." Carla begged.

Eric looked back towards Bill, wondering what his decision would be, during a moment of silence they just exchanged glances.

"Eric, you are free to go. I made a mistake" Bill muttered, putting away the stake.

The guards released Eric and he stood up straight, looking surprised and wide eyed. He then looked back towards Carla, using his supernatural speed to move over to her.

The guards dispersed and Bill stood there, his arms still hanging at his side.

Eric reached down holding Carla's cheeks, wiping away her tears with his fingers, softly caressing her face with his large rough hands.

He placed his lips against hers, taking a long deep kiss from her.

Carla pulled away for a moment, placing her hands on his shoulders, stroking them softly.

"Thank you, Bill" She glanced at the vampire and he simply nodded, not smiling. He ran back into the house at vamp speed to leave them alone.

"Thank you, Carla" Eric smiled down at her, looking deep into her eyes.

"I can't help it" Carla smiled "I don't want to help it" She admitted.

"You're the most amazing thing I've ever seen" Eric told her. She chuckled.

"That anything to do with the fact that you don't remember anything else?" Carla smiled up at him.

He shook his head and kissed her deeply, letting his hands run down her body to her hips, knowing now where he wanted his hands.

He picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist, supporting her with his hands under her behind.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked down into his face, grazing her lips against his, teasing him.

Eric ran back to the house, placing her down on the porch, so she was laying on her back on it, kissing her lips veraciously, his appetite for her uncontrollable.

He ran his hands up her body, this time gently unbuttoning her shirt and pulling it off her scrumptious skin.

She did the same, lifting his shirt off to reveal his pale, cool skin that he laid against her, continuing to kiss and feel around for additional garments to remove from her body.

Eventually they were both completely naked and Eric had sped up to Carla's room and they were both writhing on the bed, with him about to make the ultimate sacrifice and share all of him with her, as they had done over a year ago, which Eric didn't even remember.

But this time there was no grief, no life shattering misery, only love and happiness and to Carla and Eric, this was divine.

They began with her on the bottom, but she quickly changed this, with her on top and him sitting up straight and running his tongue all over her body, his fangs also running over her, but not breaking the skin.

Eric ran his hands up from her hips over her ribs and up to her shoulder blades as she bounced on him, letting out low gravely grunts and groans of pleasure as she did so, while hers were higher pitched, but just as much a show of pleasure.

Her body was glowing, close to shining in a pale golden light, the luminescence intensifying in patterns where her markings were.

He flipped her over so he was on top, slowly driving himself inside her, not wanting to rush this feeling that they were allowing each other, this gift.

He let his lips kiss down from her mouth, over her bust and up again to her shoulders, around her neck that he felt pulsing hastily next to his mouth.

She latched her hands onto him, digging her nails into his skin, but making sure she did not break the surface.

Her hands made their way up, and onto his cheek, making him look at her.

"Oh, Eric" She gasped for air, her body desperate for more.

Eric lifted her up, pinning her back against the wall next to the bed, and continued to thrust into her, but now, he was deeper and more savage, wanting the release, the soft caress of pleasure after the long and arduous climb.

Carla began first, her body buckling under the intense feeling of release and pure bliss, the markings on her body and her whole body itself began to shine, revealing them completely.

She was followed by Eric, who felt exactly the same, rapture over taking his body, their muscles quivered against each other due to the simple amount of energy they had used to get to this point.

Eric carried her back over to the bed and laid her down, shuffling in behind her, wrapping his strong arm around her waist.

"I promised myself I'd never do that again with you" Carla chuckled.

"Why?" Eric asked, sounding a little hurt.

"Because… after last time things seemed to go straight back to normal, and that's something I really didn't want" Carla explained, turning over to face him. He kept his hand on her hip.

"Well this time is completely different, I promise you" Eric said lovingly, moving closer to kiss her forehead.

"How so?" Carla asked, interested.

"This time I am never going to let you go. Before I was a fool, now I can see" Eric moved his hands from her hip, stroking it up her body to under her chin, making her look into his eyes.

"Do you want me to get my memories back?" Eric asked her directly.

"I don't know... I know at some time it has to happen" Carla said, looking into his beautiful eyes. "I'm not sure" She admitted, looking down, guilty.

"Carla" Eric raised her face again so she was looking back at him. "Would you still love me?" He questioned.

"Well, I can't stop myself, it's you- you're irresistible" Carla smiled at him. He chuckled, pulling her close with his arms, wrapping them around her protectively.

Once he released her, she laid her head on his clavicle, rubbing her cheek against him to get comfortable next to his cool skin, enabling her to relax.

Eric looked towards the door.

"Sookie just came in. King Bill is with her" Eric said out loud.

Carla got up from the bed and pulled on a sundress and some undies.

"You better come down too, they are probably here for you as well" Carla told him, and he nodded from the bed, having watched her dress with great interest, using his vamp speed to dress himself quickly with some more clothes Sookie had found for him and put in Carla's room.

Carla walked out of the door of her room and down the stairs, finding the vampire and the fairy in the lounge. Eric joined her within moments.

"Bill" Carla nodded towards him, glancing to Sookie. "Hey Sookie, is Jason okay?" Carl asked considerately.

"Yeah, he's fine, false alarm" Sookie nodded, smiling.

"I can see that your reunion was a happy one" Bill commented on the clothes that were strewn in the front porch inside and the outside porch.

"Yes, very much so your majesty" Eric spoke up from behind Carla.

Carla glanced over her shoulder at him, putting a finger in front of her mouth to tell him to be quiet.

He pinched her behind.

"Thank you" Eric said over her shoulder at Bill, serious honesty in his eyes.

"What's in the bag then Bill?" Sookie asked Bill, looking towards him, Bill indicated that they should all sit opposite him, and they did. Carla in the middle, Sookie and Eric either side.

"I have some news, in 1610, there was a witch known as Antonia Gavilán de Logroño. She was found out by the inquisition and burnt at the stake, though before she died she cast a spell that caused all vampires in a twenty mile radius to walk out into the sun and burn. Now I have it on good sources that she is now back and possessing the leader of the coven that Eric was sent to deal with before he was cursed" Bill explained.

"I can't believe a witch could do that!" Sookie exclaimed.

"I can believe it" Carla muttered.

"Of course, my first suggestion would be that Eric come with me, but the choice is his" Bill said.

"I'm not leaving" Eric stated.

"I thought that would be in the case, so I will leave you with this" Bill leaned forward and emptied the bag that was sat on the coffee table, it was filled with silver chains.

"Are you kidding me?" Sookie said glancing down at the pile of silver.

"If we do not silver ourselves we will all meet the sun. I am going to be going home where I and Jessica will do exactly the same" Bill told them. "If either of you care for him, you will do this, otherwise it will be the last day you see him" Bill warned.

"I will do it" Carla spoke up, shoving the silver back into the bag and getting up with it in her hand.

Bill nodded and then disappeared at vamp speed out of the house.

Carla didn't say anything, she just walked around the couch and towards the cubby.

"Carla, are you okay?" Sookie got up and followed her, staying a few steps away.

"Yeah, I'm just great Sookie" Carla turned around, looking her straight in the eyes. "We've got all this trouble and now on top of that we've got a witch who wants to kill all vampires" Carla sighed. "We're never going to be free of this"

Eric walked past Sookie and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Whatever you have to do, just do it. As long as I can continue to be with you, then I will go through any hardship" Eric whispered to her, pulling her away from him to look her in the eyes.

Sookie was quiet and deep in thought.

Carla nodded. "Okay" Sniffling and sighing.

"I'm gonna go to bed, I've got work in the morning, so... be safe" Sookie flashed a smile and then wandered upstairs.

Eric and Carla made their way down into the cubby and Carla took care to put all of the silver spread out over Eric's body, some over his neck, on his ankles and over his stomach and wrists. His fangs had popped out when she put the silver on.

"I am so sorry for this" Carla leaned down and kissed Eric's forehead.

"I understand" Eric managed from under his bonds. "Please, stay with me" He requested.

"There is no where else I would rather be right now" Carla nodded and laid down next to Eric, on her side, holding onto his hand.

"I must be very strong" Eric glanced down at the amount of silver on him.

"You are, there are not many vampires who are stronger than you" Carla smiled.

"Do you think I am strong enough to survive the night?" Eric asked her, turning his head to look into her eyes.

"You are strong enough to survive anything" Carla chuckled, kissing him on the lips.

"You think?" He asked.

Carla nodded.

"Bill said that the witch was very strong, maybe I won't make it..." Eric said, full of doubt.

"I will not let you die, you hear me? Not now, not ever" Carla swore to him and he nodded.

A few hours later, a dangerous wind picked up, so harsh that it could be heard all the way down in the cubby. Carla had lots of blood on her from Eric's bleeds and the wounds the silver had left.

Eric began to convulse under the chains, yelling as if he were in the worst agony possible.

"The sun!" He screamed, lifting his body of the bed in the cubby, but falling back down under the silver, if it were not on him, it would have been seconds before he was out in the sun and burning.

"No!" Carla ordered, sitting on top of the vampire, her hands on his shoulders to hold him down.

"Take off the chains!" He yelled at her, ordering her.

"No way!" Carla told him, pushing him down onto the bed with all of her weight. "You'll die!" Carla told him, trying to make him see.

"I don't care! I DON'T CARE!" Eric shouted, jolting under her body, still trying to get up.

This lasted for about half an hour, when it started to recede. The wind stopped and Eric fell limb back on the bed, panting.

"Eric?" Carla sat up on him, looking down at him.

"What time is it?" He asked her.

"It must be about four, two more hours and i can let you out, i promise, but it might come back again... I can't have you walking out there" Carla explained to him.

He nodded, his fangs still out from the silver all over him breathing heavily.

Hours later at about half past six the sun went down and it was time for Eric to lose the silver, which Carla was unsure of how to.

She peeled back the silver from his ankles, wrists and stomach, revealing large bleeding wounds.

"Just yank it off, I'll heal faster" Eric told her.

"If you're sure" Carla said, taking a hold of the large pile of silver chains on the vampire's neck and yanking it off quickly.

He yelled out in pain, his body tensing up but not healing, yelling profanities in Swedish.

"Thank you" Eric said after resting back down on the bed, taking deep breaths.

"That's okay, but why aren't you healing?" Carla looked down at his body, still covered in bloody wounds.

"I just remembered I haven't fed since that fairy... I'm starving" He admitted, trying to sit up, but then pulling himself further up the bed and then laying back down.

"I can get you some true blood?" Carla asked him, sitting down next to him on the bed.

"I, just need to rest" Eric assured her.

"You need to feed" Carla told him, knowing that he wouldn't heal just from resting, he must have been starving.

"There is no one, I am forbidden" Eric reminded her.

Carla looked down at her hands in her lap and then back up to Eric's eyes.

"You can feed off me" Carla told him, his eyes widened and he looked her up and down.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked, licking his lips expectantly.

"Of course, I wouldn't offer if I wasn't a hundred percent sure, I trust you Eric"

"Take a piece of silver in your hand, silver me if I lose control" Eric said, propping himself up on his elbows.

Carla grabbed a bunch of silver chains and held it in her fist, moving her hair back away from her throat.

"Now, I am most likely going to taste really fucking good, but you need to control yourself" Carla explained to him, he nodded his understanding.

She put her hand around the back of Eric's neck and helped him sit up to be able to drink from her.

He leaned against her, looping an arm around her waist and running his face along her shoulder and up towards her throat, where her jugular pulsed against her skin.

He produced his fangs and quickly inserted them, breaking the skin with a swift stab before removing them and sucking the blood from her, making low growling and moaning sounds at the pleasure of both the taste and the feeling of her life force flowing into him.

Eric force himself to let her go once he was healed, leaning back and letting out deep breaths, obviously trying to stop himself from going back for more.

Instead he raised his hand and bit into the palm, turning it around the offering it to Carla, who was unsure.

"But.." Carla began to protest.

"We shall be one again" Eric told her, she was unsure, but she could not resist his husky voice.

Carla produced her fangs, which she had been able to use since she had first had Eric's blood, but had not used for a long while.

She leaned forward and grabbed his hair, pulling his head gently to the side so she had easy access to his neck.

She gently punctured his skin over his jugular, letting the blood run out into her mouth.

He groaned, letting his hands run down her sides and to her hips.

Carla removed her lips from his throat, kissing down his chest and pushing him back so he was flat on the bed.

She sat back at the foot of the bed, looking down at her body, she was covered with his blood.

Carla got up and headed for the ladder, glancing back to see Eric looking up at her.

"I'm going to have a shower, would you like to come with me?" Carla asked, looking the vampire up and down.

Eric simply nodded.

* * *

Carla stripped down in the bathroom, as did Eric. She stepped into the shower with Eric joining her.

They were facing each other and Carla looked up into his icy eyes that now seemed so warm to her.

He ran his hand down her shoulder, onto her back, over her shoulder blade, feeling every rib with his fingers.

"You're amazing" Carla smiled up at him, kissing him dead on the lips quickly.

"You more so" Eric said back, shuffling closer to her, pushing her against the shower wall.

Carla closed her eyes for a second, when she opened them, her surroundings had completely changed. She was pushed up against some smooth rocks that were right next to a waterfall, which was gently spraying them with warm foamy water, soaking their bodies.

Eric was apparently seeing the same thing, as he glanced around slightly confused.

The place was familiar to Carla, who would spend many hours there with Clive, years in the past. It was under the ground, but light spilled into the room via a crack in the ceiling that was mostly covered by foliage.

Now she was here with Eric, and it was exactly the same as she remembered it.

The waterfall tumbling down over the smoothed rocks of a light grey color, slipping down into a large pool at the bottom. It was more deep that it was wide and trickled away into a stream which escaped through the trees around the pool, with crisp yellow sand on the banks of the water.

"It's beautiful" Eric gasped out, still holding her.

Carla kissed him on the lips, which pulled his attention back to her, making his hands find their places on her behind.

Eric turned her around, making her lean forward onto the rock so he could give himself to her.

She allowed him too, as he grinded against her. He kissed her back tenderly, running his tongue along her shoulder and along her neck where he had bitten, cleaning the blood off the area where the wound had been, and then on the other side, just to drive her crazy.

He bit into her neck again, on the other side this time, letting the blood run down either side of her neck and lapping it up, one hand wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her back onto him and the other caressing her bust.

She couldn't hold back her moans and whines of pleasure as he ran his hands all over her, forcing her towards the edge and not allowing her to back away.

"Carla... be mine" Eric requested, sounding short of breath and straining to hold himself back.

"Eric-... I'm all yours! For as long as I live" Carla told him, promising herself to him without question. She just wanted him and only him knowing that she had no chance of stopping herself, also knowing that she didn't even want to.

Eric turned her around, picked her up and laid her down on the stone they were standing on, continuing to move in and out of her while she was underneath him, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth adventurously.

As they both came apart, he tried his best to resist biting into her and taking down her blood, which tasted like the breeze and sunlight on a summer's day warm on his back, or a beautiful dawn with the sun caressing his skin instead of searing it.

Carla held onto him tightly, refusing to let him go.

Once she released him, he rolled off her onto his back, looking up at the sun streaming in through the crack in the ceiling that allowed the trees to grow.

Carla sat up and rolled over onto her front, resting her chin on his chest and looking into his soft eyes.

"I'm not even afraid anymore, I trust you with every part of me, Eric Northman. You're everything to me..." She admitted, smiling genuinely at him.

He smiled back, sitting up and resting his back against the rocks.

Carla shuffled up close to him resting her legs in his lap and her head on his shoulder.

"You are perfect... so beautiful" Eric said, resting his head on hers, clutched onto her hand. "When I'm with you it's like I've known you all my life, it's like coming home" Eric admitted, laying a single kiss on her forehead.

Carla smiled, looking up at the vampire, who kissed her gently on the lips.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed, feel free to tell me your thoughts, thanks for reading and you are more than welcome to stick around for more, as its on the way!**

**Please tell me what you thought of the lemons, as i haven't had much experience if writing them, so i need to know if there are things that need improvement!**

**Please review, i love reading them!**

**See you soon,**

**-Shad out**


	33. Cemetery Resolutions

**Welcome back, thanks for spending your time reading my fanfic! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-three - Cemetery Resolutions

* * *

What felt like moments later but was more like hours. Carla and Eric were back in her room. Eric was propped up against the wall and the head board in the corner of the bed and Carla was leaning back into him, between his legs simply resting her back against his muscular chest.

The two of them were completely devoid of clothing, they did not need it, as they were so comfortable around one another, it just felt as though they were fully clothed.

Eric wrapped his arm around her stomach, pulling her further up his chest so her head was at shoulder height.

"Do you want me to remember who I am?" Eric asked out of the blue, letting his other hand that was not wrapped around her run through her hair, letting the silky substance flow off his fingers as if it was refined liquid.

"I believe that either way I am destined to be hopelessly in love with you, Eric. You are my irresistible obsession" Carla chuckled at herself, then immediately regretted speaking.

Eric just smiled.

"But how would you prefer me? If you could choose?" Eric asked.

"Well, I'm not really sure, I think that either way you always have the same base qualities that you have always had" Carla explained, resting her hands on Eric's legs, staring up at the ceiling.

"I don't want to remember" Eric said, letting out a sigh and stiffening his muscles a little.

Carla moved away from him and turned around, so she could face him.

"Why not?" Carla asked.

"All the horrible things I have done, I sound like an evil person, I am not sure I want to remember who I am. I won't be the same" Eric explained, crossing his arms.

"What about Pam? Don't you want to remember your progeny? Your child? All the reasons you love her?" Carla asked, furrowing her brow.

"All of the people I've killed with her? Those sins are better left forgotten, she can remember those for me, in that life I am nothing but a sinner" Eric leaned forward and ran the back of his fingers against her cheek. "You're my redemption" He smiled.

"Let's just run, leave this all behind, I will never remember who I am and we can remain this way" Eric cupped his hand over Carla's cheek.

"I cannot" Carla stood up and pulled her dressing gown around her body, going to open the window and let the breeze in.

"Why not?" Eric asked, pushing himself up off the bed to assume his full height. Carla turned around to face him, looking up into his gentle dark eyes.

"Because I cannot abandon Sookie. She knows things that put her in danger, if I am not here to protect her no one else will and I will not stand by while another person falls in my wake... no more. The power your blood has given me, the fairies too, I can stand and fight now, I can protect myself and those around me, no more running, no more hiding. I have an agreement with Bill, I promised I would do anything and I believe that he will take me up on that offer so he is not scoped for dealing with the witches. Human on vampire crime, unacceptable, human on human crime- since I look like a human? Bill will very much like to deal with them quietly and in a way that won't lead to him losing his head at the end of a Magisters cane" Carla sighed, looking up at Eric.

"My King or not, I will not allow him to put you in danger, he is king and it is his obligation to fight those witches, not yours, not ours, our path is our own. Don't make it lead you to death" Eric stepped forward and place his two large hands on Carla's shoulders.

"If we stay and keep in mind that I am not leaving... Bill will come and request my help. He will call the offer I made him and if I refuse, he has ampule opportunity to take you back into custody and execute you, you think I can allow that?" Carla laid her hands flat on the vampire's pale, chilly chest, still looking into his eyes.

"If this is the way it must be. If along this path I do get my memories back and revert to the old, blood thirsty Eric, will you remain by my side?" Eric asked.

"You've already asked me that..." Carla was interrupted.

"Tell me again" Eric told her.

"Of course I will" Carla smiled up at him. She leaned forward and laid her cheek on his chest. He laced his strong arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

There was a resounding knock on the door downstairs. Carla turned around and peered out of the open window to see Bill standing on the driveway, looking up at her.

Carla sighed and turned around.

"Speaking of which... the King has arrived" Carla lent down and pulled her clothes back on. As did Eric once he had finished glaring down at Bill through the window.

Carla made her way down the steps to the front door and opened it.

"Bill" Carla nodded, a little irritated to see the vampire King so soon.

"Carla" Bill stepped inside as Eric made his way down the stairs. "I have a favor to ask of you, the offer you made, in exchange for Eric's safety. I need you to fulfill a portion of it." Bill explained, making his way through the the front room.

"Take a seat" Carla offered and the vampire did so.

"There is a meeting scheduled between the leader of the witch coven that attacked Eric and me. Tonight, in the cemetery. I am planning to negotiate a peaceful agreement which will cease the fighting and remove all curses and damages from both sides" Bill explained. Eric stood behind Carla, who was in the listening to the King.

"Now I may be preaching peace, but I am preparing for a war that is very likely to occur which could leave vampires at a sever disadvantage..." Bill added. "I need you to attend the talk tonight, it may turn bloody and when it does, I want the power that you have on my side. Which i believe was included when you offered me anything I wanted" Bill clasped his hands together.

"Fine" Carla agreed.

"I will be coming too" Eric spoke up, looking at Bill from over Carla's shoulder. "I have been told that I'm old and powerful, I will be an asset if things become bloody"

Bill looked unsure for the moment, but then strangely, swiftly agreed, as if he was still interested in disposing of Eric.

"Sookie is waiting back at the house. She has agreed to help me, she has powers that may be useful as well as the telepathy may come in handy while negotiating" Bill explained. "We'll be preparing there, the meeting is at midnight"

* * *

About an hour later Carla and Eric were waiting in the wings behind the many trees that covered the Bon Temps cemetery.

Sookie was standing with them, while Bill was waiting patiently a few feet away.

"What's the time?" Carla asked, glancing at Sookie. She glanced down at her watch.

"Five to" She said, glancing up at the clearing where they had arranged to meet the witches.

"What is Bill giving you? For helping him?" Carla asked, looking at Sookie. She must have gotten a call from the King while she was at work and come straight to his house.

"Nothing" Sookie looked out at the clearing and then back to Carla. "These witches have attacked vampires I care about, of course I want to help stop this fighting" Sookie glanced away again, not wanting to make eye contact.

"Do you still love Bill?" Carla asked forwardly, looking at the side of the blondes face as she debated on what to reply to the question.

"No" Sookie forced.

"You shouldn't have come" Carla shrugged, looking out into the bright moonlight that illuminated and reflected off the long blades of grass that stood to attention between the looming shapes of the many ancient tombstones.

"Why not? I have power, I can protect myself and others, plus I don't want to see a whole race of people killed in the name of hate" Sookie explained.

"Just don't get yourself killed" Carla glanced at the blonde again, who was looking at her. "Please"

"You too" Sookie punched her arm playfully.

Eric stepped forward, readying himself. Bill stepped forward onto the path into the cemetery, it must have been midnight.

"Lady Antonia?" Bill called out, once he was more or less in the center of the clearing, on the old dirt road, glancing around him for the witch.

A woman walked slowly from under some of the foliage, approaching Bill from the behind.

"I am no lady" She said, alerting him to her presence. He turned around to face her. "I'm a peasant and proud of it" She proclaimed stiffly.

"I come in peace" Bill said, showing his empty hands.

"Do you?" Antonia said sarcastically. "I know you are not alone" She told him straight.

Bill turned around and gave the signal to show themselves.

All of the sheriffs from the areas in Bill's kingdom, Eric, Carla, Sookie and Pam stepped forward out into the clearing, stopping a few steps behind Bill, looking at the witch.

"Neither are you" Bill told her. Antonia raised her arms, dispelling the illusion which was hiding the other members of the coven behind her.

Tara was with them.

"Tara?" Sookie questioned, and was about to go over to her. But Carla raised her hand to stop her.

"A sad testament to our inability to trust each other, but I still believe we can achieve a peaceful resolution" Bill said, trying to negotiate.

"Describe this 'peaceful' resolution to me" Antonia spat, as if speaking about something utterly repulsive.

"We will never harm you again, anyone who has done so, has been commanded to desist, or they will face the true death, in return I only ask that you remove any spells from my associates" Bill explained.

"You say that you are willing to execute those who have harmed me and yet you bring them too me and ask me to remove spells I placed on them in self defense-! All for a promise that I'll never be harmed again" Antonia broke it down, making the ridiculous nature of the agreement apparent for all.

"Yes" Bill said, desperate for this peaceful resolution to be accepted. Antonia meanwhile was making direct eye contact with Eric who was stiffening his muscles already.

"I have your word for this?" Antonia asked.

"I swear it" Bill assured.

There was silence between them for a moment.

"Bill, she's casting a spell!" Sookie told Bill.

"Demoness!" Antonia yelled at Sookie.

The witch raised her arms again, revealing more humans on her side.

"Now!" Bill ordered. The human bodyguards of his estate ran in from the wooded areas behind them. "You may have dominion over us but you do not over the living, surrender now and no one will be hurt" Bill warned as the guards aimed their laser sites at Antonia's chest, ready to fire.

Antonia looked down at the red spots on her and laughed.

Eric sprung into action before Carla could say a word, he had pulled the heart out of a chest of a woman on the coven's side.

He raised it up, to show Antonia.

The witch raised her arms and bellowed a spell, which caused a heavy mist to billow down from above, plunging the area into darkness.

The guns were now mostly useless.

Shooting and screaming began as well as running feet spreading away from the scene.

"Sookie, run back to the house! Get somewhere safe!" Carla ordered, facing her in the right direction back to the house.

"What about you?!" Sookie screamed over the noise.

"I need to find Eric, I'll be fine, trust me! Go!" Carla ordered, pushing her off into the mist. She ran.

Carla ran over the path toward where she last saw Eric, no one, just a bloody corpse.

Carla concentrated, followed the link that they had to one another, once she reached Eric, she felt the dead feeling that he had had when they had first found him on the side of the road. Through his eyes, she saw the face of the witch, Antonia. He was gone.

She slammed back to reality as a bullet flew past her ear. Crap, she needed to get to Eric.

She ran blindly through the mist towards where she had felt him.

Nothing.

Desperation ran through her body, on loop, making her more and more terrified and worried.

Her body lit up, damn mist, it was making this all so much harder.

Carla stamped her foot against the ground in frustration, not meaning to do anything, but without warning or indication, golden energy spread out from her body, through every pore, it spread into the air dispelling the mist that hung over the cemetery.

She looked around, her body drained, the heaviness of fatigue hitting her as fast as a speeding bullet and tearing through her energy.

Before she knew it she was on her side on the ground, her head falling heavily onto the dirt, large brown boots approaching her in her field of view, the rest was concealed, slowly being absorbed by a haze of fog and nothingness.

* * *

Lights glared down upon her from somewhere not so far above, they were piercing, intruding, destroying her bubble of comforting unconsciousness.

Carla pushed herself up straight, her vision blurred, her temperature at inferno levels.

She let a long groan escape her lips, her hand finding its way to her forehead, as if it may provide some reprieve from the growing thumping pain that was sitting there.

"Carla?!" A gruff male voice answered her groan.

Carla looked down at the source of the voice and only saw a blur of brown and skin.

"Who...?" Carla began.

"It's Alcide, I picked you up off the cemetery floor, pale as a piece of paper and completely limp. What happened out there?" He questioned intensely.

"The witch, Eric... she didn't want peace at all, where's Sookie? And Eric?" Carla asked, spinning her legs around, off the side of the couch after feeling for the edge with her hands, her vision still impaired.

"Haven't seen Eric at all. Sookie's on the other couch" Alcide explained, offering his hand to Carla. She took it, but stumbled, allowing herself to take too much of her own weight.

Alcide caught her and carried her over to where Sookie was laid out. Bill sat next to her, keeping his silent vigil.

"Bill, what happened to Eric?" Carla asked, as Alcide rested her down next to Sookie.

"I- I don't know" Bill admitted, obviously worried about the telepath.

Carla raised her hand and placed it on Sookie's, squeezing her hand.

The blonde slowly opened her eyes, blinking repeatedly.

"Sookie, you were shot" Alcide told her.

Sookie blinked slowly, not saying a word.

"What happened to the witches? Tara? Is Tara safe?" Sookie asked.

Bill nodded. "I made sure she made it away safely"

"Am I the only one who thinks this is completely fucking crazy?" Alcide stood up, raising his voice.

Carla looked back at Alcide, letting go of Sookie's hand.

"What?" She questioned, her vision finally recovered.

"Every time, you two get involved with vampires and every time, one, if not both of you almost die, or you disappear! How many times have both of you almost died because of these people?! Never, do you think of the people on the sidelines, looking in and completely unable to help" Alcide argued.

Sookie pulled herself up straight and then stood up.

"You, Alcide, no longer have to trouble yourself with me. Thank you for whatever part you had in my rescue, but please, concentrate on Debbie, she needs you more than I do" Sookie answered, surprisingly prickly and harsh to the wolf, who had probably just saved her life, if not helped to.

Alcide sighed. "Fine, I'm done" He strode for the exit, muttering it again.

"Alcide!" Carla stumbled after him, pushed herself upright and leaned on the walls so she didn't fall straight on her face.

Carla managed to catch up to him getting in his car and she called from where she stood on the porch.

"Alcide!"

The werewolf paused and sighed again, laying his hands on his hips.

"Thank you" Carla said and he glanced down at the ground and then back at the druid on the porch.

He shook his head and got in his car, three point turning and then driving away.

* * *

When Carla's head touched the pillow of her bed, she was almost immediately asleep. She finally woke up late into the afternoon, thankfully, she wasn't too hot anymore, though she still felt as if her body was in a sauna.

When Carla made her way downstairs, after a much needed shower and she found Sookie pacing around the bottom floor of the house, making herself countless coffees.

"Did you sleep at all?" Carla asked her.

"No, too stressed, I got a call from Bill before sunrise, he said that they still haven't found Eric and that the witches might use him to make some sort of public disturbance" Sookie explained at light speed.

Carla sighed.

"Did Bill tell you anything about where the coven meets? Did you learn anything from Holly?" Carla asked Sookie, who was still pacing.

"They meet at Moon goddess emporium, it's an old building on the backstreets of Shreveport. I guess that would be the first place to look for him" Sookie shrugged.

"Did you go in there?" Carla asked her.

"Yes, I had a reading, just after that day at work and I learned where Holly went to the group" Sookie explained.

"And Antonia saw you last night, you won't be able to distract them" Carla sighed. "If I can get inside I can try and get Eric out, then she can't hurt anyone with him and Eric will be safe" Carla exhaled, thinking deeply.

The front door bell rung. Carla turned around, as did Sookie.

Debbie was standing there, fake smile plastered on her face and hand behind her back.

Carla glanced over her shoulder at Sookie, who stepped towards the door and opened it.

"Hey Sookie! Carla!" Debbie said, the smile growing wider. "Hope you like flowers!" The wolf pulled a bouquet out from behind her and presented it to Sookie. Who smiled and glanced over at Carla.

"Please come in" Sookie lead Debbie through to the back of the house, into the kitchen.

They both sat down opposite one another. But Carla stood, she wasn't going to share a table with a person who put a bullet in her heart and almost killed her.

"Listen, Sookie, I am so sorry about everything that has happened between us, but I came here to try and help, I didn't come here to fight or to try and be your friend" Debbie tried to explain.

Carla chuckled.

Debbie turned around to face her. "What?" She asked.

"Never heard more bullshit in my life, and trust me, that is saying something" Carla pushed herself away from the wall ready to leave.

"Well Sookie can hear me, she can decide whether or not she believes me" Debbie bit back.

"Fine, I will leave her to do that, but I just want you to know, I would kill you in an instant if I didn't know how much you still mean to Alcide. But I will be there when either me or Sookie plants a bullet in your head and I shall not weep for you" Carla turned around and strode down the corridor.

Sookie didn't call after her.

She climbed into her car and headed towards Shreveport, hoping to ask for directions to the coven's meeting place, considering she lacked a map.

* * *

After a short while she found the shop, it was quite large and on the corner of a cross section of roads.

She waited for night, knowing that trying to save Eric in the daylight would be a very silly mistake.

Carla made her way to the back of the building, sticking her fingers into the gap which was open in a small window at the back of the building.

The sun finally disappeared, and as Carla squeezed herself into the window, she heard a noise at the front of the store, talking and chattering.

She made her way through a pair of double doors and listened intently to the noises in the shop.

Carla poked her head around the side of one of the doors. There were many people in the room, but they were all asleep, the only ones awake were in the front of the shop.

She ran across to a closed door opposite the double one, turning the knob as slowly as she could to reduce noise.

Eric's presence was obvious inside this room, he was standing up straight, completely still, almost unresponsive and catatonic.

"Eric?" Carla whispered, rushing across the small bathroom to him.

"Carla" Eric looked down into her face, and then shrugged. "You should leave" He told her completely neutral in his emotions.

"Are you under her spell? What is she making you do?" Carla looked him up and down as he stared off into space.

"Kill the King" Eric muttered, not making eye contact.

Carla placed her hands on Eric's cheeks, looking back into his mind to hear what she had told him to do and where this would be.

It flashed in front of her eyes. Antonia's face, her dead possessed eyes cutting into her through Eric. She could almost feel the influence that Antonia had over Eric.

There was a festival of tolerance, Bill and Nan Flanigan were going to attend, as well as humans, lots of humans, also cameras, broadcasting the whole thing.

Shouting voices cut back into her mind, taking away her concentration.

"Stop her!" Called Antonia's voice. Tara had a gun in her hands, aimed at Carla from outside the door. "Don't let her go anywhere!" She ordered Tara.

Tara quaked, she would not shoot, though should she trust her instincts, when the last time she did when dealing with a woman holding a gun she was shot in the heart, now there was no sun to help her.

No, she knew Tara wouldn't, she had to run.

Carla ran straight at Tara, knocking her out of the way, there was a gunshot, but she was not hit. She pulled herself out of the window she had got in through, not looking back, she ran towards the car.

On her way she saw another body over the other side of the road running, as well as farther back, those must have been the people in the shop? Maybe?

When they came closer into view, she saw that it was Debbie, getting into her own car.

Sookie was also running towards Carla, panting and red in the face.

"Quickly, I heard Tara's thoughts while you were in there, I was outside. She said that Bill is at some festival of tolerance at the Dorchester hotel, we need to go there right now!" Sookie ordered.

"Are you two gonna be okay?!" Debbie called from across the road in her car.

"Fine Debbie, thanks for the help, honestly" Sookie ran around to the passenger seat of the car and got in. Carla got in the driver's side.

"Tell me the directions and quickly!" Carla shouted.

"Turn around and take the next right, get onto the parish road!" Sookie ordered.

Carla began to obey.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Big surprise next episode, hope you're looking forward to it, i can't wait to write it, see you there! :D**

**P.S Anyone else watching the new season of True Blood? Poor Eric :( I just want to hug him and tell him everything's going to be okay, i hope to god they do not kill him off. I swear every episode so far has made me cry, Tara dying (again) then Eric having Hep V, then the abandoned town and the sad diary, watching Lafayette talk about Jesús, RIP Jesús. Then Terry coming back to tell Arlene to go back to her kids, god i miss Terry, he was such an angel.**

**Anyway, hope to see your reviews, please tell me what you thought!**

**Until next time, **

**-Shad out**


	34. But I will kill you

**Welcome back! Thanks for coming back to read my fanfiction and i hope you enjoy the chapter! :D**

**P.S I know i said i was on a holiday until the 4th, but i made some times to write some more! 3**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter thirty-four - "But I will kill you"

* * *

When the two arrived at the hotel the entrance was empty of any guards, and the doors were wide open. It would appear that the talk had already begun.

Sookie sprung out of the car first, running in with Carla following. Sookie planned to warn Bill, trying to get through the crowd.

While Carla needed to find the witches and Eric, and immobilize him and them, hopefully.

But no plan survives contact with the enemy, as they say.

Carla ran in, pausing before entering the main hall, she looked to her side to see stair cases proceeding both ways up to the auditorium.

Screaming erupted from the hall within and the sound of vampires in their unnatural speed.

Carla ran up the steps on one side, seeing the witch the a man that Carla had seen the previous night in the cemetery with her. They were standing on the other side of the auditorium.

Carla swung herself over the side of the balcony making her way to the other side. As the hall emptied, a vampire appeared in front of her, one of the sheriffs Bill had had in the cemetery too.

He was obviously under Antonia's control too, as he swung at her, hitting her straight in the chest, causing pain to emerge over her sternum which traversed all over her rib cage. Something must be broken.

Carla gasped, as he readied another blow. She grabbed his arm before it struck her, forcing all her energy into her hand, slamming the vampire's side against the ground.

He was up in less than a moment, about to lay another punch into her cheek.

She sprung backwards and kicked him down while he tried to recover, keeping him on the floor with her boot on his chest.

He flipped her off and she landed on her back, winded.

He was on his feet again, standing over her, having acquired one of the large amount of chairs that were in the room for the guests to use.

He was about to plunge the back of it into her throat, trying to decapitate her.

Carla forced herself to recover and grabbed the back of the chair, holding it away from her body.

The vampire barred his teeth and pushed more weight down on it.

But Carla pushed back with all her might, shunting the wooden leg under the vampire's jaw and through his skull, killing him.

Carla pulled herself up and with most of the humans out of the room, she transformed, using the energy to leap to the upper platform on the other side, in front of the witch and her lap dog.

They jumped backwards, she raised her hand about to cast a spell.

But Carla changed back and thrust her elbow into the woman's face, causing her to stumble backwards towards the staircase.

Carla followed her, about to bear down on her, ending this once and for all either with her claws, or even simply her hands.

The man jumped on her back, his arms pulled around her throat. He shocked her, but she easily twisted his wrist and threw him to the ground behind her.

"Well, isn't it nice to see you again, Carla" A threatening and imposing voice spoke to her from behind, where she had left Antonia on the ground, bloodied and bruised, for now.

She turned, not believe her ears for one second, and then doubting her eyes too.

It was Rob, he looked terrible, pale and sickly, though he was still strong, pure muscle. She knew this when he propelled his fist into her face, and she was floored.

Carla got up, wiping the blood away from her nose.

"Strange sort of reunion" Carla joked.

Rob gritted his teeth and ran back towards her, trying for it again.

Carla dodged his heavy ended strike, he may be full muscle, but the man was still better at casting.

Carla slammed her shoulder into the man's stomach, rushing him back against the edge of the balcony. His spine cracked and he groaned, though he grabbed Carla's head, pressing his fingers into her eyes, scratching at her face.

Carla leaned back away from his hands and took a good shot at his face with her balled fist.

Gunshots rung in the background, and high pitched screams.

Energy spouted from his fingers and flooded over Carla, it burned a little, but it was more to blind her and disable her. She tumbled backwards and heard the mutterings of the witch behind her, suddenly her body was immobile. Rob's blast had taken down her defenses to the witches low level magics.

Rob took his moment and stepped towards her, so he could lean down.

"You're coming with us" He told her, before powering his fist into her completely undefended head.

Pain cracked into the bridge above her nose and her vision blurred, becoming more and more fuzzy until all Carla could see was the strange pattern of the carpet rushing past her eyes and the feeling of gravity pulling down on her body, her limbs weak and unresponsive.

* * *

Dim light poked in through a small window with a glazed pane, illuminating the space behind her eyelids enough to wake her.

Thankfully the pain did not come back to her as she stirred from her unconsciousness, as the sun had healed her of her wounds while she was out of it.

Carla listened, instead of opening her eyes. She concentrated on using her other senses instead of showing that she was awake by opening her eyes.

"... fate brought us together, to fight evil, did you really think that no one was going to get hurt?" An older woman's voice, as if she was talking to someone else in the room, but there was no reply.

Carla shifted her wrists, but they were tightly bound, as were her ankles, ensuring she made little noise.

"Yes" The woman said, still speaking seemingly to herself.

The sounds of grunting, choking and sighing came as the woman recovered.

Carla had to wait for the woman to leave, otherwise she would easily be noticed overcoming the restraints.

There was an evident zapping noise from outside the building, this caused the woman to stride out of the room at high speed.

Carla opened her eyes and surveyed the room, it was the one she had broken into while trying to get Eric.

Speaking of which, where the hell was Eric? What had happened at the Dorchester?

Carla sat up straight and managed to raise her hands over her head so they were in front of her. She linked them over her feet, though they were bound, she could still try and wriggle her wrists out of them.

She pushed down on the ropes and the threads began to snap, buckling under her force.

The double doors which lead out of the room swung open and Rob strode through at top speed, he was next to her in moments, about to drop his raised boot on the side of her head.

Carla lowered her head under his shoe and swung herself around so her shoe collided with his ankle, causing him to trip and begin to fall backwards.

Rob landed on his back side but recovered quickly, moving the boot that was raised into Carla's chest with the force he had gained while falling, causing her to become slightly winded and cough dryly to get her breath back.

He pushed his foot up her chest until it was under her chin, digging into her neck, she tried to fight back, to maybe transform, but her powers wouldn't respond.

She struggled to push his leg off her, but her power was being drained away by something, maybe the lack of oxygen, or maybe some magical trick courtesy of the witch.

"Don't try to fight back, Antonia has already cursed those bindings, you're helpless" Rob taunted.

"FUCKING KILL ME THEN! END IT!" Carla yelled back between gasps of breath.

Rob chuckled.

"I will" He answered simply.

Carla's head began to spin and pound at the same time, her lungs felt like someone was clawing at them to take in air, but they were unable with her windpipe being crushed beneath the man's boot.

Her eyes began to roll back into her head.

Then she was released.

She took in deep breaths.

The relief was better than anything, the simple ability to breath in the stuffy air felt like pure bliss.

Her vision returned and the pain in her lungs subsided.

Carla looked up at her assailant, Rob, who was now standing up in front of her, panting himself, hands hanging down limply.

"What did you do to him?" Rob asked directly and vaguely, as if Carla was meant to know.

Carla took a few moment to refill her body with the fundamental gas before replying.

"Who?... What?" Carla asked, pushing herself up into a sitting position, knees pulled up to her chest and elbows resting on the top of them.

Rob lunged forward threateningly, though he didn't come within touching range.

"Don't fucking pretend you don't know who and what I am talking about, what did you do with Clive?!" Rob ordered.

"Clive?" Carla asked, very confused.

"Yes, your life partner, the one you abandoned, shot and then killed, my brother!" Rob shouted with pure aggression, spitting with the pure force of the words, accusing and so sure of themselves.

"I haven't seen Clive since Mississippi" Carla told him.

"You're lying!" Rob shouted back, beginning to pace back and forth in front of her.

"Wait, you think I killed Clive? Why?" Carla asked. "I've been gone for a year, nowhere to be found and you think I was doing what exactly? Killing Clive and hiding his body? Waiting around and hoping it would all blow over?"

"You killed him and you know why, the only reason I'm outside of the barrier in the first place, because we came after you and now he's dead!" Rob yelled down at her, raising his boot about to bring it down on her ankle.

Carla flinched backwards before he could harm her and his boot collided with the floor.

"Rob, I don't know what you think, but I did not harm Clive, that I can promise you" Carla tried to appeal to his maybe still slightly sane side.

"Your words mean nothing! Your promises, even less! Tell me where you put him, he deserves proper rest!" Rob growled down at her, raising his hand which produced vibrant and dangerous green light which lassoed its way around her neck, raising her up off the ground.

There was no pressure on her neck yet, he was simply holding her up.

"Tell me!" He ordered slowly closing the gap between his thumb and fore finger, causing pressure to build up on her neck.

"I have nothing!-" Carla was cut off by a sudden increase in pressure.

"Tell me!" He growled.

"St-" Carla felt the pressure increase more, it was only now she realized it was not about the confession, or the body, to him, it was about making someone pay, because he didn't know who else it could have been, who else to blame.

Then she was on the floor, coughing again, taking in the oxygen she had been starved of, something had interrupted him.

"The vampires are outside, me and you need to go out there and reason with them. Take her, they like her, the blonde is coming too" Antonia told Rob, who nodded.

"Let's go" Rob agreed, picking Carla up under the shoulder, expecting her to walk, which she couldn't with her ankles bound.

Rob leaned down, grabbing a knife from his boot and cutting the bindings on her ankles.

"Don't try anything" Rob growled.

Carla looked around as she was dragged through the shop, past lots of faces she had seen in the graveyard, most of them looked terrified, while some held a look of stoic calm which was probably an act.

Tara was there, a bandage on her hand, a pissed off look on her face.

There was an ominous pool of blood in the centre of the first room she had been pulled into, which looked fresh.

As Rob continued to pull her towards the entrance to the shop she saw Holly, who she barely knew, with Sookie next to her.

"Carla, are you okay?" Sookie asked, about to dive to help her.

"Stay back!" Rob warned, raising the knife in front of him to keep Sookie back, which it did.

Carla looked up at Sookie, and winked, showing she was fine, a small smile blossomed on Sookie's face.

Sookie opened the door of the shop and jumped out first.

"Bill!" She called, catching the attention of the vampires.

Antonia followed with Rob holding Carla last, throwing her down on the concrete next to Sookie, all standing on the curb.

"Antonia wants to negotiate!" Sookie told him.

"How may I serve Antonia!" A vampire which had been one of the sheriffs of the area screamed from beneath Bill's foot.

Eric was standing next to the vampire also, gun in hand trained on the vampire, with Pam at his side. Jessica was also behind Bill.

Jason was also standing furthest away, watching the scene unfold.

Eric was different, his eyes, looked older, with more substance than he had had the last few days, less innocent, and they stared back into hers, as she knelt on the curb, clothes bloodied and hair tangled.

"Be quiet!" Bill ordered the vampire underneath his boot.

Antonia ordered the vampire in Latin, and she pulled herself up from underneath Bill and attempted to attack him. Which he responded too by throwing the vampire towards the shop.

But before she hit the ground she hit a barrier which shone yellow and burnt her causing her to scream shortly before she burst into blood and guts, which then bubbled on the barrier before it dissolved completely.

"Amazing, isn't it? The power of the sun, harnessed" Antonia explained.

The power of the sun?

Carla looked up.

This may be her chance.

"The protection spell is impenetrable to most humans, and not fatal, but to vampires, one touch... death sentence" She finished, taunting the vampires on the other side.

"It makes no difference what you hide behind, you have killed your last vampire" Bill promised her, stepping towards the barrier.

"How optimistic" Antonia said, full of sarcasm.

"Let your hostages go" Bill requested, his voice full of authority, something he had gained with the job.

"Oh, so you'd like to negotiate?" Antonia added, even more sarcastically.

"Let them go!" Eric stepped forward also, ordering the witch.

"Fine, they can go, but I'll need an exchange" Antonia agreed. Rob looked nervous, he glanced at Antonia, and down at Carla, not keen on losing his prize.

Antonia simply turned her head and smiled at the man, winking, though he was still unsure.

"What?" Bill asked.

"Name it" Eric requested.

"Your lives... kill yourselves and they walk free" Antonia told them, her voice hateful. "Both of you" to clarify.

"Good one" Pam chuckled from behind Eric.

"Don't laugh too much... you wouldn't want your lips too fall off" Antonia joked. Pam fell silent.

"Antonia, just make them a real offer, they'll listen, I know them, they'll..." Sookie tried to negotiate with her, but Bill and Eric cut her off.

"I accept" Bill agreed.

"Fine" Eric too.

"What?" Jessica and Pam echoed.

"No, don't you fucking dare!" Carla spoke up, yelling across at Eric.

"No!" Sookie agreed, talking to Bill. She obviously still had feelings for him, something she wasn't hiding.

"Quiet!" Bill ordered them both. "I have your word? You will set them both free?"

"Free as a resurrected bird" Antonia replied mockingly.

"Bill, you can't..." Sookie muttered, getting choked up.

Carla's stare alone was enough to show Eric her disapproval.

Was he serious? This must be a ruse.

"You realize if you renege you will never leave this building alive? Everyone that you ever cared for will be slaughtered without mercy." Bill threatened her, even though trusting Antonia to keep her word when there had already been so much lying, why would she stop now? She was mad with the power which she had found.

Antonia simply nodded.

"Very well" Bill said.

Sookie sucked in short breaths, about to cry.

"I will shoot you and then Pam, you will shoot me" Bill ordered, speaking to Eric.

"Agreed?" Bill clarified.

Eric nodded at Bill, accepting the plan.

Eric knelt down in front of Bill, glancing to the side at Carla.

"Eric, come to your fucking senses!" Carla yelled, but his face remained the same, something must have happened at the Dorchester. He must have got his memories back, as he now had mastered the poker face she knew him so well for.

Sookie broke into full blown crying next to Carla.

Pam was also crying on the other side of the barrier.

Carla managed to lean to the side and touch her hand to the side of Sookie's ankle.

Suddenly Sookie was inside her head, but as she was already crying, and all other eyes were focused on the scene ahead, and small gasp the fairy let out was unnoticed.

Carla told Sookie she need to distract Rob, so she could run for the barrier, otherwise she wouldn't have a chance of making it.

Sookie glanced down and nodded, pretending to wipe a tear from her cheek.

"The true death? To save fairy snatch and kitty cooch? Not a fucking chance!" Pam yelled, using her vamp speed to run back to the van which was parked further up the street, out of it the vampire grabbed a rocket launcher, and aimed for the shop.

"No!" Jason yelled.

"Pam, I forbid you!" Bill ordered.

But she didn't listen, and fired the weapon straight at the four of them on the curb.

As it hit the barrier the missile was held by the golden light that shone out from the impact sight, it hung in the air for a few seconds before exploding. Though the blast was pushed out by the shield and sent the vampires flying instead of inside which only suffered small cracks on the concrete and all the windows of the shop to smash inwards.

"Now!" Carla yelled over the commotion loud enough for Sookie to hear.

Carla got up and ran at full speed towards the shield, behind her she heard the sound of a body hitting the floor and the 'oof' which the body produced which showed it was Rob.

Carla heard footsteps backing inside the shop, quickly and panicked.

Carla managed to hit the barrier and thrust her arms inside, the energy flowed into her, dissolving the bindings that had held her and running throughout her body sparking the return of her powers.

Carla turned around slowly, feeling the energy finally return to her, a smile sprung onto her face, now she was strong enough.

"Just me and you. No witch, lets see who's stronger..." Carla growled. Rob scrambled to his feet and raised his hands, energy sparked in his palms and he clapped them together, producing a sphere of energy that he slowly expanded. His own markings began to shine, brighter and brighter, as the energy increased in size and density.

Carla took a deep breath in and waited for her moment.

Her markings lit up as she readied herself.

Carla was barely paying attention to what was going on outside the barrier, but Eric had sent Pam away, furious about the damage that the rocket launcher might have caused. Bill was watching what was going on inside the barrier and Jessica was giving Jason her blood, as he was badly injured from the blast.

Rob let his energy free, straight towards Carla. She stood with her eyes glazed over in gold, and the fae energy ready to erupt from her.

As the energy was right in front of her, with a swift movement of her wrists, she let her own energy go into the mass of green. It evaporated most of the ball and was about to power into Rob, who raised his hands to intercept it with more green energy.

The beams hit and struggled for dominance their energy diffusing off one another and cracking the ground beneath them.

Carla stepped forward, sending all of her power into the beam. It took Rob by surprise, who was trying desperately to fight the power of it.

The fairy power slowly managed to makes its way towards Rob, besting his own beam completely. He began to slide backwards under the pure force of it.

Rob slammed his boot onto the concrete, taking her by surprise the road underneath her feet began to shake and shudder and she lost her footing.

He sent a scythe of green towards her and she dodged to the side, crouching on one knee.

Another scythe, Carla morphed and jumped towards the man, but he began to send multiple shards of energy towards her, causing her to have to dodge instead of approach.

Unfortunately Rob had been casting for the greater part of his life and so he was still much better than her fairy powers which she could barely control and had only had for less than a week.

Carla took a chance and ran towards the shop, dodging a few of Rob's energy spears and jumped towards the building, landing on the wall and then pushing away quick enough to jump behind him, performing a perfect wall jump still in her cat form.

Rob spun on his heel and brought an orb of energy down on her.

Carla was forced to morph back and raise her hands to block the attack, but it still burnt her arms and palms.

"STILL SO WEAK! EVEN WITH VAMPIRE BLOOD! YOU'RE STILL ONLY SECOND BEST!" Rob yelled over the sound of his power discharging over her.

Carla raised her leg and thrust her foot into Rob's crotch, then laid another quick blow into his chest.

Rob staggered back, still on his feet.

Carla swung her fist into his cheek, and then another under his chin.

Rob fell to the ground on his back, a little shocked. Carla's arms were slightly blackened and her skin blistered from the intensity of the spell.

Rob raised his hands again and threw another ball of green power towards Carla, it hit her square in the chest, singing her clothes and sending her flying backwards.

Carla stopped in mid air, having morphed into her flight form. She dived back towards the other druid, morphing back into human form in mid air, aiming another punch into his cheek.

Rob sent another line of green towards her, hitting her in the same area.

She flew back again, smashing into the barrier and falling down to the ground. Though thankfully she was fully healed by its golden glow.

Carla pushed herself to her feet again about to run back at the other druid.

But Rob sent another beam of green at her. Carla ran to try and avoid it, but he channeled, making it follow her closely as she did her best to run away from it.

Carla morphed into her cat form, pushing herself to run ahead of the beam. Rob slammed his foot into the ground, shaking the floor and cracking the concrete again. It slowly began crumbling away and quaking beneath her, the concrete itself cracking into dust beneath her paws as she ran as fast as she could.

Carla wheeled around and headed towards Rob, knowing that running wouldn't make a difference in such a small arena.

Rob directed the beam towards her.

She sprung into the air, leaping over the beam trying to avoid it at all costs.

He raised it up to collide with her.

But he was too slow and she morphed back again, swinging her fist into his face and his beam was interrupted.

Rob staggered backwards but raised his hands to remake it, aiming it down on her where she stood a few inches away from him now.

There was nothing she could do but shield herself with her arms again.

"FUCKING DIE YOU MURDERER!" Rob yelled down at her, giving it all his energy, the beam intensified threatening to engulf her.

Carla felt her body shifting and strength racing into her muscles. The beam no longer burnt her.

She reached down and grabbed Rob by his throat, now about a foot and a half taller, she knew who she had morphed into.

"I didn't kill him" Carla growled down at Rob, in Eric's voice. "But I will kill you" she promised.

Carla raised her other hand, the energy had completely died out from his hands as had the oxygen had from his lungs. She placed her hand on the druid's cheek, her fingers around his neck, with a swift movement on her hand, she snapped his neck.

Carla loosened her grip on his throat, letting the body drop to the ground, limp and slowly becoming cold.

She let out a sigh and cracked her shoulders.

Then at high speed she ran inside the shop, followed by a swoosh of air at her speed.

Most of the inhabitants of the shop were pinned to the walls, but in the center of the room Sookie stood, surrounded by a circle of fire that was slowly encroaching on her.

She was screaming out of pure fear, staring down at the fire around her, pulling her arms close to her body as if trying to make herself as small as possible.

Carla jumped over the ring and grabbed Sookie, taking her out of the ring, removing her from danger. Then she turned around to go for Antonia.

Who was strangely now sitting on the floor wailing and screaming, as if something had gone terribly wrong.

Carla ran over to the witch and picked her up off the floor by the material of her shirt, raising her off her feet.

But before she could end the witch, she transformed back into her normal form, with less strength now she threw the witch to the floor.

Antonia scrambled backwards and one of the coven members came to her rescue, sitting next to her and asking her if she was okay and what was wrong.

There was a hissing sound which came from outside the shop as the barrier disappeared and then a familiar wooshing as the two vampires ran into the shop.

Bill had a gun in his hands.

All of the occupants of the shop raised their hands, fearing the worst, they all stood up as the witches magic that was pinning them to the walls had worn off.

"Don't shoot them! Marnie was holding them all hostage!" Sookie told Bill and Eric, hoping they would allow the others to live.

Carla stepped backwards behind Bill, who spoke up.

"Very well... Only Marnie" He said, and the others in the shop dived out of the way, leaving only Marnie in the center of the room. She had now found her feet. She was quickly joined by the same man she was with at the Dorchester.

"No!" The man said. "Listen you bloodsuckers, if you want to get to Marnie, you're gonna have to go through me!" He ordered.

Eric jumped forward and within less than a second he pulled the man's heart out of his chest.

The man spat and choked up blood, quickly dying as his body fell onto the floor, inanimate.

Eric then raised the heart to his lips, sucking the blood out of the aorta in front of Marnie's face. Shortly before turning around to walk back to stand beside Bill and Carla, flinging the heart onto the ground behind him, sucking each of his fingers and swallowing the blood on them.

He came and stood next to Bill and Carla, turning around to face the watch again.

Bill growled, raising his gun.

"No-one lives forever! Not even you!" Marnie threatened, before Bill fired multiple bullets into her torso and finished with one to her forehead. The witch's body fell to the ground, next to the other, dead.

Carla was suddenly hit by a pain in her chest, which quickly spread to her shoulder and down her arms, down her legs and up into her head, causing a loud ringing in her ears. She gritted her teeth, dropping to her knees.

"Sookie" She managed, writhing in pain.

Sookie ran over to her, grabbing her by the shoulders. Eric was next to her, his arm around her waist, trying to support her body, unsure what was wrong.

_"Oh my God... Marnie, they actually killed her... stone dead!"_ A woman's voice invaded her head, as if she was right next to her ear shouting at her.

_"So much blood, I've never seen a dead body before..."_ Another woman, shouting into her other ear.

Carla pressed her hands over her ears in an effort to block them out, but they only got louder, closer and more jumbled as more and more voices joined the cacophony.

_"Got to get out...!"_ A man.

_"...Just want to forget..."_ Another woman.

_"...Please, not me next..."_ A man.

_"...Need to get out!..."_ A blur of insane screaming voices.

"What's wrong?" Sookie asked her, confused also.

"They're inside my head, they're screaming... so loud... can't... block them out!" Carla shouted over the escalating voices taking over her mind.

"What's happening? What's wrong with her?" Eric asked, looking between the two women in great confusion.

"I don't understand, who? Who's inside your head?" Sookie asked, but then looked over her shoulder around the room.

"All of them" Carla repeated, grimacing and clawing at her ears, the sound intensifying as well as the pain.

"She can hear them, like me, you need to get here out of here!" Sookie told Eric. "She can hear the humans, but not you, get her out of her before it overwhelms her!"

Eric pulled Carla up onto her feet with the arm around her waist and pulled her legs up with his other arm.

He didn't waste anytime shooting out of the building and running a few blocks away from the emporium.

The pain slowly subsided and Carla nervously removed her hand from her ears and open her eyes.

Eric knelt down, placing Carla back down on the ground, letting her rest her back against a low garden wall.

Thankfully the area around the emporium had been deserted due to one of Antonia's many spells.

"Has it gone?" Eric asked, still having his arms around her as if she may still fall to pieces at any moment.

"They're gone..." Carla said, blinking slowly.

"What the hell was happening?" Eric asked, so that she might be able to better explain now that the pain had subsided.

"I could hear all the human's thoughts... it just, came over me randomly and i couldn't shut them out. They just got louder and louder and i thought my head was going to explode, it certainly felt that way..." Carla let out a short sigh, stroking the back of her arm across her forehead as if it might relieve the throbbing pain.

"Is it the fairy blood?" Eric asked.

"I suppose, it must have finally kicked in..."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Sorry for the abrupt ending, wasn't sure about how else to end it really, going to save the Carla and Eric reunion for next chapter, hope you guys don't mind :)**

**What did you think of the fight? Or of the whole chapter itself? Please leave me a review and let me know, can't wait to hear from you!**

**Until next time,**

**\- Shad out!**


	35. An End to the Drama?

**Welcome back, this chapter will bring season four to a close, thanks for coming to read, i hope you enjoy the chapter! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-five - An end to the drama?

* * *

Eric allowed Carla as long as she needed until she felt she was in a position to walk home.

"I'm fine now, I feel much better now I'm away from all those humans" Carla explained, putting her hands flat on the floor and pushing her body up into a standing position.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked, getting up himself from where he had been knelt next to her.

"Yes, like I said, I am much better now that the whole world isn't screaming in my ears. It's much more peaceful around you" Carla smiled up at him, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"I can get you home if you wish?" Eric asked, being more kind and attentive than she expected, since she suspected he had had his memories restored, though she wasn't a hundred percent sure.

"No, I'd rather walk back, I think we have some catching up to do anyway, don't we?" Carla asked, finding it a little difficult to meet his gaze.

Eric simply nodded.

Carla turned towards the way home and began walking. Eric automatically fell in step with her with his long calm stride.

"So, what happened at the Dorchester?" Carla asked, staring forward at the direction they were headed, knowing it would take a long time to get there from Shreveport.

"Antonia ordered me to kill Bill, apparently to Sookie. She didn't know how she did it, but she used her light to break the spell on me" Eric explained, in his usual cool and calm tone, he was completely back to normal, not even a hint of that small, innocent and nervous Eric.

"And you remember everything?" Carla asked.

It took a moment of silence for him to answer.

"Yes" He glanced at her. Carla saw it out of the corner of her eye.

"I'm the same Eric, just more" Eric assured her.

"Are you sure about that? From what I saw tonight, you are the same old Eric I remember" Carla looked down, and then back up at the way they were walking, referring to his rather overly dramatic execution of the coven member.

"And you seem to have become more than you once were, who was that man? Your brother in law?" Eric asked, looking at her again.

Carla looked up at his grey eyes. They definitely seemed slightly different from what they used to hold, only coldness, now they seemed a little bit more tender, even loving.

"That's different, he tried to kill me, he thinks... thought, I killed Clive" Carla turned back towards the path.

"Well did you?" Eric asked, as if he didn't know.

Carla crossed her arms over her chest.

"Of course not, I have no idea what happened to him, do you by any chance?" Carla asked, looking up at the vampire, who went silent for a moment.

"No, I did look into his whereabouts, but found nothing. I did originally think that when you left he had taken you back..." Eric trailed off.

Carla got the gist.

"You really remember everything you said to me then?" Carla asked, as they walked out of Shreveport itself and into the more rural areas around.

"Yes, I do" Eric nodded, his eyes on her still.

"'I don't want to remember, all the evil things I have done, those sins are better left forgotten, you're my redemption'?" Carla quoted.

Eric didn't reply.

"So how do you feel?" Carla asked.

"Past is past, it can't be changed. I had no choice either way, it's either this or be dead, which would you prefer"

Carla paused for a moment, not moving.

Eric took a step past her, so he was in front, and turned around to face her.

"This every time" she answered looking seriously into his eyes.

"I also remember, oh, what was it" Eric pouted in mock thought for a moment "'Eric, i'm all yours, for as long as i live'" He quoted.

She practically had an out of body experience seeing the red flush into her cheeks.

Eric placed the signature cocky smile right on his chops.

"I think you might be mistaken" Carla huffed trying to cover up the fact that he was right, beginning to walk again, taking a right into the wooded area, cutting across country to get home quicker, though it would still take many hours just walking.

"I just think that you're too nervous to admit that you really are hopelessly in love with me" Eric said, catching up with her.

Carla spun around, looking the vampire in the eye, her head angled up, their bodies inches apart.

"Don't pretend you didn't give yourself to me just as much as I did" Carla answered.

"I'm not, I did" Eric replied, surprising her. "I love you" Eric told her outright, stepping closer and leaning down to place a kiss on her lips.

As Eric moved away, Carla grabbed his arm. He moved it to her back, he laid his hand in the small of her back, pulling her towards him.

She kissed him again, her eyes fluttering closed, as did his.

His fangs sprung out behind his lips, and his hands ran down her back, both resting on her behind. He picked her up.

She raised her legs and looped them over his hips as he pressed her back against the nearest tree.

Carla ran her hand through his hair, then let it run down his back, feeling each of his muscles contract under her hand as he kissed her, holding her up against the tree.

Her other hand caressed his cheek, and down to his neck, holding it gently.

Carla pulled away, though her forehead was still on his, and their noses touching at the very end.

"Think we could go somewhere more private?" Carla asked him.

A smile spread across his face and he only had to nod.

* * *

Eric flew for a short while, before they arrived at a large building on the outskirts of Shreveport, near Fangtasia, in fact, just a road away from the bar.

Eric let Carla down from his arms and unlocked the front door to the building, letting her in as well before locking the door behind him.

"Is this your house?" Carl asked, looking around the taking in the rooms, they were all dark colors, red and blacks with black leather furniture or dark mahogany wood.

Carla followed Eric through the many rooms of the medium sized house before he came to a large bedroom with a double bed with black silk bed clothes, the windows were blacked out, of course.

Eric pulled off his leather jacket which was rather tattered and singed, after being in the blast earlier that night.

He turned to her, stroking his fingers against her cheek.

She smiled up at him.

"You are divine" He smiled, letting his hand run back to her neck and then loop into her hair, letting the strands flow off his fingers and land back in their original position.

"Don't be so flattering" Carla smiled.

Before Carla knew it she was laying at the end of the bed with the vampire on top of her, his waist between her legs.

He lowered his face to hers, kissing her lips gently with quick pecks, before running the same kisses down to her neck. She tilted her head up so he could have access to her neck, kissing gently down to shoulder blade and then continuing down between her breasts, using his hands to unbutton the shirt she was wearing on his way down her body.

Upon reaching her jeans, he bit down on the material, unbuttoning the trousers with his teeth and then slowly pulling down the zip with his fingers, making her wait.

He then removed her trousers completely, throwing them off to the side of the bed, which her shirt then followed, leaving her completely exposed to him.

Eric wasted no time continuing to kiss down from where he left off at her waist, stroking both hands down the inside of each of her thighs at the same time, making her shiver underneath him.

He let his tongue run rings around her sensitive button, causing small but intense moans to erupt from her, which caused his circling to intensify.

Carla let her back arch slightly, responding to his pleasurable assault on her defenseless and desperate body.

He inserted two fingers inside of her, also moving them in circles inside her, causing her body to slowly give in to his erotic movements and the desire for the surge of pleasure they would eventually bring.

Carla pointed her toes as Eric's movements slowly became faster and he delved deeper inside her soft, wet and warm recesses.

Her hands gripped onto the smooth sheets, balling them in her tight grip as her muscles stiffened ready and desperate for relief.

Eric used his vamp speed to move up her body again, placing his face under her neck, kissing her gently, before slowly pushing himself inside of her.

Carla raised her head, letting out a loud and long moan of pleasure as his manhood filled her.

He too groaned, feeling her tighten around him.

Eric began slow, letting himself slowly build, nibbling her earlobe and the side of her neck, making her hairs stand to attention and her body itself to shiver violently underneath his.

She bit her bottom lip, gripping onto his back, making sure he didn't stop, not now, she wouldn't allow him.

Eric had no intention of stopping, as he only increased in speed and depth of his thrusts as he got closer and closer to his.

His fangs emerged from his gums, and he pushed them through the skin of her neck, blood rushed out from her jugular vein and into his mouth and he swallowed it down, quickly and hungrily, her blood tasting sweeter and more enticing that it ever had before.

The sheer intensity of her blood pushed him over the edge and into his orgasm, the potency of her blood also improving the pleasure of the release.

He let out a deep and loud moan, before gasping at the pure bliss it was granting him.

Carla shortly followed, her muscles spasming as she came, giving her the same blissful release.

Eric laid limply against Carla's body shortly, before pushing himself back up to look down into her eyes.

The look on his face told her that they weren't done yet, that he wanted to grant her as much pleasure as he could manage before the small hours of the night were gone.

Carla had no problem with this, none at all.

"I fucking love you"

Eric smiled back.

"I fucking love you too" He told her.

* * *

Carla heard the sound of ringing coming from somewhere in the room which caused her to wake.

She shot out of bed, falling onto the ground of the room, meeting with a surprisingly soft carpet.

She reached for her trousers.

Stuffing her hand in the pocket she grabbed her phone.

She pressed the green button, which was all she could make out being so tired, and shoved it to her ear, not even looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" She asked, hearing the sleepiness in her own voice.

"Carla? Finally, I've rung you like five times, i was getting worried, where the hell are you?" Sookie's voice.

Carla groaned down the phone.

"I slept with Eric last night..."

"You what? Honestly Carla I don't need to know that much, where are you?" Sookie asked, obviously miles more awake than Carla was right now, what the hell was the time?

"I'm at Eric's and I'm fine" Carla yawned down the phone.

"Listen, i'm going in to Merlotte's today to speak to Sam, you mind joining me? My nerves are shot and I need some moral support" Sookie explained.

"Uhh, yeah, of course, I'll get there as soon as I can, see you then" Carla told her.

"Alright, see you soon" Sookie said, putting the phone down.

Carla found her feet and wiped the sleep out of her eyes.

She found all of her clothes around the room and pulled them on, they were a little dirty, but never the less, it wasn't like she was going to work in them.

Carla looked down at the bed before she left.

Eric wasn't there, so he must have been resting somewhere else for the day, she found a key next to the front door, and so assumed that he had left before sun up.

Carla made her way outside, making sure to lock the house before she left. She realised that Eric had flown her here, and she had no real means of transport to get all the way to Bon Temps.

Crap.

* * *

Carla managed to land near the back of Merlotte's as the bar was mostly surrounded by trees she was under cover and therefore able to morph without eyes on her.

She dodged and ducked her way out of the dense undergrowth making her way to the back of the building.

She jogged through the car park around the front, trying to find Sookie.

Carla found her in her car, phone in hand, probably about to call her.

Carla quickly tapped on the car's front window, closest to Sookie, and she almost jumped out of her skin.

Carla stepped back, allowing the blonde to get out of the car.

"Could you please not creep up on me like that?"

"Sorry" Carla shrugged.

"How did you get here so fast, I just arrived" Sookie looked her up and down, noticing she hadn't changed her clothes.

"I had to fly, because Eric flew me to his place last night, my car's probably still outside the Dorchester" Carla sighed, running her hand back through her hair. "Anyway, why are you going to talk to Sam anyway?"

"Don't worry about your car, I drove it home after all that went on at the Dorchester. I need a job, so I'm here to beg to have mine back before I go and really look for a new one in other places, after all that's happened in the past few days, I'm hoping I don't have to move on from Merlotte's. It's the only place I've really been comfortable" Sookie admitted, letting out a long sigh, there were very large black circles under her eyes and she looked completely exhausted, probably only kept awake by caffeine.

"Alright then" Carla turned and both of them began to head towards the door to Merlotte's.

"Now I think about it, are you sure you can do this? Considering how you were around people last night... Can you really hear thoughts now?" Sookie asked, concerned for her safety.

"Shit, being around Eric made me completely forget about that..." Carla thought, glancing across at the fairy and she blinked back at her.

"...That's weird, I can hear you now, you're not touching me" Sookie thought back, smiling.

"Shit... What am I going to do? I can't walk into Merlotte's and be able to hear everyone's thoughts!" Carla placed her hands on her face, pushing her fringe back out of her face.

Sookie frowned and then took the Druid's hands.

"Carla, don't worry, you need to be strong, I've had this all my life, I can help you be able to control it" Sookie offered, trying to comfort her.

"Well how do you do it? How do you ignore everyone so well?" Carla asked, accepting her help as she truly did need it desperately if she would be eventually be able to live with being able to tell what every human, fairy and werewolf was thinking.

"It's just like when there's a super annoying person, or sound, you can't stop it, so you concentrate so hard on just ignoring it completely. Shut it out, focus on something else, even taking a deep breath and splashing some water on your face can help, honestly, it's easier than you think, I promise, just avoid pot, remain calm and try not to drink too much and get a hangover either" Sookie giggled.

Carla took a deep breath.

"Okay... I can try, but you'll have to excuse me if I quickly dive out of there..." Carla joked.

"You'll do just fine, I know you will" Sookie smiled, hugging her.

Carla patted the fairy on the back, hugging her back just as tightly.

"But next time if you stay over at Eric's send your house mate a text to save her a whole heap of worry" Sookie advised.

"Yeah, I'm sorry... I got, carried away" Carla explained.

"It's okay, it was the same with me and Bill, I understand" Sookie told her, letting go of her.

"Let's go and get this done then" Carla said, letting Sookie walk ahead of her towards the front door of the bar.

* * *

Sookie went through the Merlotte's door first, holding it open for Carla.

Carla slipped through quickly behind the fairy.

Sookie instantly spotted the red hair of Arlene, facing away from them.

Sookie called to her.

"Hey, Arlene?"

_"...Where the heck's my meal? I swear I've been waiting an hour now, at least it feels that way..."_

_"Sookie Stackhouse... pretty sure Sam fired her, good thing too, hate seeing her dead man loving face around here..."_

Arlene turned around and had grey face paint on, with some fake bone hair clips in her hair and a severed toe necklace around her neck, in full fancy dress.

Carla took a deep breath and focused on Arlene's face. She grabbed a strand of her hair and began to slowly twirl it around her finger to keep her mind off the annoying voices.

It must have been Halloween.

"Happy Halloween!" Arlene said to them, glancing between the two, a large smile on her face. She gave them both big hugs.

"Is Halloween today?" Sookie asked, as if confused with the days.

"May I interest you in a hand sandwich?" Terry chuckled, showing them a fake hand thrust between two slices of bread on a plate.

Carla smiled, he seemed very happy.

Sookie had told her that he married Arlene while they were out of the picture for the year.

It seemed to have made him very happy, which Carla was pleased about, as he was definitely a very different man before.

Arlene gave the man a look, and he wandered off.

Arlene then giggled to.

"We're zombies" Arlene told them, as if they hadn't already noticed, though Sookie didn't seem very happy, more nervous and tense. She had definitely been very damaged from the previous night's events, it took a long time for someone to get used to things like that. "Zombies are the new vampires, didn't you know that?" Arlene asked.

"Oh no I did not know that but your severed toe necklace is super cute" Sookie smiled.

Arlene looked down at it, and then thanked her.

"Is Sam around today?" Carla asked Arlene.

Arlene looked up, a little worried looking.

_"I guess they wouldn't know..."_ Carla heard Arlene's voice inside her head, wouldn't know what? Carla thought.

"Umm, well, yeah he's in the back" Arlene began.

"Wouldn't know what?" Carla and Sookie asked at the same time, and turned to look at one another, then back at Arlene, who looked quite shocked.

"Just, go easy on him, his brother was killed a few nights ago" Arlene whispered, as to keep their conversation as private as they could in the middle of a room full of people.

"Oh" Carla said, glancing at Sookie, wondering if she wanted to continue.

"Don't worry Arlene, we're not here to start anything" Sookie assured her, with a smile.

Arlene smiled back.

Carla and Sookie made their way past the kitchens and into Sam's office.

Sookie knocked quietly on the door.

"Come in" Sam's voice came from inside.

Carla opened the door and held it open for Sookie, before closing it once they were both inside.

"Hey" Sookie said, as Sam looked from her to Carla, and then back again.

Carla made sure to smile.

"Listen, I'm sorry about Tommy, I just heard" Sookie said, stepping forward towards him.

"The funeral?" Carla asked, stepped forward slightly.

"Yeah, well nobody knew about it, my brother didn't have a whole lot of friends around here" Sam managed a smile.

"You do" Sookie assured him.

"Well I hadn't seen you in a while I assumed you had stuff going on of your own" Sam told her, as well as glancing at Carla.

"Oh, Sam, I was pretty sour after you fired me and all, but I would have been there for you" Sookie told him.

"I didn't fire you, you're the one who didn't turn up to your shifts all week" Sam told her, furrowing his brow slightly.

Carla looked at Sookie, confused.

"Not to be a stickler for details, but you told me I was nothing but trouble and to get my stuff and get out of here" Sookie replied.

Sam took a moment and placed his hand on his chin, as if in deep thought.

_"...Damn... that must have been when Tommy was skin walking..."_ Sam's voice chimed into her head.

Carla took a deep breath and pinched herself.

"You know what, I wasn't myself that day, I tell you what let's let bygones be bygones" Sam told her.

"Does that mean I can have my job back?" Sookie asked.

"As long as you start right now" Sam told her. "Lafayette's MIA and with it being Halloween we sure could use an extra pair of hands"

"Can I have a new uniform I kinda threw mine in the trash" Sookie asked, sounding a little embarrassed.

Sam raised his finger.

"No uniforms today" Sam walked towards a few boxes he had near the door, and picked out a head band with a pair of rabbit's ears on them and handed them to Sookie.

"Oh, no…" Sookie said, taking the head band from Sam.

"Oh yes" Sam replied.

"Well, it seems like I'm done here, have a nice time a work Sookie, I'll see you tonight" Carla said about to leave the two in the office.

"Hey, wait a second" Sam called after her.

Carla paused, looking back at the shifter.

"Yeah?" She asked, still not so happy with the way things went with Sam the last time she was in Merlotte's.

"As we're so low on staff tonight, if you want you can stay, just for tonight though. I'll have to have a longer think about you getting shifts here, since we have Holly and Arlene full time at the moment and Sookie on shifts, but I will think about it" Sam told Carla. Carla smiled, walking back into the office and wrapping her arms around the bar and grill owner.

"Thanks Sam, it means a lot" For the first time in a long time, Carla thought that her life would be able to resemble something at least partly normal.

_"...Sookie's been so stressed trying to get as many shifts as she can, Carla still must be out of a job, no harm in helping, everyone needs a helping hand now and then..."_ Sam's voice sprung into Carla's head, louder than ever. Carla tried to let him go as quick as she could, but didn't act disrespectful or shocked.

"Don't start thanking me yet, you haven't see what you need to wear" Sam joked, pulling a headband adorned with small cat ears, and a cat nose with attached whiskers with an elastic strap.

"Really?" Carla laughed. "Very funny"

* * *

A few hours later, a familiar face appeared in the bar.

Alcide came and sat at the bar, with Carla behind it, she came over to ask for his order.

"Hey" He said, looking around the establishment.

"Hi Alcide, what can I get you?" Carla asked, a friendly smile on her face.

"Just a pint, since when did you work here?" He asked, looking her up and down in her tight black jeans that were very tatty and had burnt patches, and her tight white shirt which she had changed into before the meeting with Antonia in the graveyard, also had stains, burns and even some dried blood. Of course with the addition of the headband and nose made the whole looked rather comical. Carla didn't even notice she was still wearing it, or how bad it really looked that she was.

Thankfully with it being Halloween most of the patrons in the bar probably thought she was in costume.

"Since today, it's a single shift, because it's busy, originally just came in to give Sookie some moral support when she was asking about getting her job back" Carla filled up a pint for the were, before placing it on the bar in front of him.

"Guess I don't have to ask if that blood is real?" Alcide asked.

Carla glanced down and then cringed.

"Better not" Carla leaned her arms on the counter.

"So what brings you here today?" Carla asked, still keeping an eye out for any other customers.

"Well actually I was just stopping off here for a drink before I came to Sookie's house" Alcide explained.

Carla should have really known, the werewolf was obviously smitten with Sookie, it was very obvious, just from the way his gaze met her.

"Oh right, well she's here, I can get her if you like" Carla explained, standing up straight, ready to go and find the blonde waitress.

"No, that's fine, she's not the person I am here for anyway" Alcide added, taking a sip of his pint, his eyes on her.

Carla suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Then who?" Carla asked, which she didn't really need to, but she had to make sure.

"Well, you actually, I thought you would have guessed, knowing how perceptive you are" Alcide smiled.

'I was just hoping I wasn't right for once' Carla told herself in her head.

"Okay, so what is it you want with me?" Carla asked, her muscles stiffer than she would have liked.

"Well, I'm trying to get to that" He answered after a little while, obviously finding the whole experience hard to manipulate to get his point across.

"Where's Debbie?" Carla asked.

Alcide sighed, and then took a long sip of his drink.

He didn't need to say a word.

"What happened?"

_"...Don't even want to think about what she did... with Marcus, I can't believe I fell for her lies... should have known"_ Alcide's voice chimed into her mind, Carla pinched herself again.

"You were right about her, I just couldn't see it until last night" Alcide said, putting his elbows on the bar along with the rest of his forearms.

"I thought she was clean, or from what I heard from Sookie, she was even looking to make friends" Carla said, a sting in her voice at the last word.

"I can see you didn't like that much" Alcide said.

"The woman shot me in the heart" Carla whispered, so only he could hear, not wanting to make a scene. "I was this close to being dead, if it wasn't for Sookie and Tara, I would have been"

"I suppose you're right, some things are definitely unforgivable" Alcide nodded. "Anyway, all I have learned is that some people don't change, they always seem to do the same shit over and over, and I am done with it"

"So, what're you going to do?" Carla asked, glancing around the bar, still no one to serve, no one to allow her a reason to escape this awkwardness.

"Well, do you remember the day me and Sookie found you in the marsh with Eric and once you put him to rest, you came up from the cubby and…"

"I remember" Carla nodded, cutting him off, wanting him to hurry up and finish his speech so the awkwardness could subside.

"Well, if I remember you asked Sookie who she would have you love, I was wondering, if you would be willing to give me the chance…" Alcide trailed off.

"Alcide… I…" Carla wasn't really sure what to say, she liked Alcide, he was a good guy, a kind man, she could rely on him, trust him with her back and her life, but did she love him? Why did she even have to ask herself that? Of course she didn't, she loved Eric, which was why she was with him. She had promised herself to him, for as long as she lived. There was no going back.

"I know this is sudden, I mean, it was obvious to me that you thought I loved Sookie, but after that night in Sookie's house, when I found you in the cemetery. I realised that Sookie was never going to let go of her obsession with the vampires, with Bill at least, and your kindness, your loving nature shone through for me, you're a protector, you care" Alcide got carried away, trying to proclaim his feelings for her, feelings she could not mirror.

"Alcide, I think you should go, I can tell that you're still recovering from Debbie and whatever happened between the two of you, I think you should think things through, logically, before you make any sudden decisions" Carla tried to make it as soft and understanding as she possibly could, offering a safety net with no don'ts, dos, yeses or nos.

Alcide went to open his mouth, and his phone burst into song.

Carla smiled, and indicated he could take it.

Alcide nodded, answering.

"Herveaux" He said into the phone. "Are you sure? I'll be there as soon as I can"

Alcide put the phone down and then back in his pocket, giving Carla an apologetic look.

"Just, take some time and think about what I said, I don't know what your relationship status is currently in, but I think, from what I can see, you're getting sick of the drama" Alcide told her, giving her a smile before heading to the door of the bar, abandoning his beer.

He glanced back at her, their eyes meeting, she smiled as did he.

At least he was right about one thing, she was sick of the drama.

* * *

The rest of the night in the bar was very long and very busy, when night fell Sam came down to the front and told Carla and Sookie to go and move the jack-o-lanterns outside the front of the bar and grill and light them.

Carla and Sookie took about half an hour to carry all of the pumpkins out to the front of the bar, then the two of them used lighters from inside the bar to light all the candles inside.

When they were coming towards the end, Carla heard Sookie gasp from beside her, obviously frightened by something.

Holly was walking up to the bar from her car, in a showy fairy costume with matching wings strapped to her back.

"Hey, Sookie, can I borrow that lighter?" Holly asked, coming closer.

"Of course" Sookie handed it to the woman, who pulled a joint out of her cleavage, lighting it up and taking some puffs. "You scared the bejesus out of me"

Carla stepped forward, coming to join the two. Holly gave her a worried glance.

"I'm just a fairy honey, ain't nothing scary about fairies" Holly smiled at Sookie.

"Hey" Carla greeted.

"Hi, you working here now?" Holly asked.

"Only for the night, since it's so busy" Carla smiled.

"Halloween always makes me kinda jumpy too, always has" Holly told Sookie, taking another puff. "Wiccans, we call it Samhain, or the witches new year, it's the day that the veil between living and dead is at its thinnest, can just feel it in the air, you know?" Holly explained.

"You wanna puff?" Holly offered to the two women.

"Uhh, no" Sookie and Carla said at the same time, giving each other sideways glances afterwards.

"When I'm high I can't shut out the thoughts at all, feels like the whole world's screaming at me" Sookie told her.

"Oh, see it calms my nerves, mother earth's valium" Holly breathed out. "So all day, I just had this, terrible feeling in my gut, you know, this dread?"

"Mmm" Sookie responded.

"I'm sure it's just a hangover from everything that happened with Marnie and all" Holly took another suck on her joint.

"I've had the same feeling" Sookie answered.

Carla couldn't say she had.

Though suddenly she felt a strange pang of pain in the side of her head, like the start of a headache, but it was more like a burning sensation.

A car suddenly came swerving into the car park, the hand brake was pulled up, but the engine left on. Tara jumped out of the driver's side and ran towards them.

They all turned to face her, wondering what was wrong.

"Tara?" Sookie asked.

"What is it? What's happened?" Carla asked, now feeling a strange gut wrenching feeling, as if she was about to be sick, an image flashing in her mind. Bill's garden.

"She's back" Tara gasped, out of breath.

"Who's back, honey?" Holly asked, confused.

"Marnie!" Tara managed.

"How's that possible, she died right in front of us" Holly questioned.

"She's inside Lafayette" Carla deduced, knowing that the fry cook had supernatural qualities.

"She killed Jesus" Tara was about to burst into tears.

* * *

Only a few minutes later, the four of them were in Sookie's car, heading towards Bill's house, as it was closest, to make sure the vampires were not already endangered by Marnie.

Carla was sweating profusely, very worried for the vampires. Eric specifically, she still had the same feeling in her gut, making her feel very ill, also the burning sensation in her head was still there, a slowly growing in strength.

She ignored it and listened intently to the ringing of her phone as she called Fantasia to check on Eric, as he had not answered his personal mobile.

"Hello, this is Fangtasia Louisiana's most fangtastic night club, how can i help?" Ginger's voice sounded down the phone.

"Hi, Ginger, it's Carla, is Eric there?" She asked, her hand tightening on the mobile.

"No, he left at nightfall, didn't hear where he was going, sorry" Ginger explained.

"Okay, thanks anyway" Carla pulled the phone away from her ear and pressed the red button.

"Ginger said Eric's been missing since nightfall" Carla told them. "What about Bill?" Carla asked Sookie.

"Not answering his phone" Sookie shook her head.

Carla sighed. "Shit" she cursed.

"Don't worry, i have a spell which will be very powerful on this night particularly" Holly assured them, as Tara swerved into Bill's drive way at close to illegal speeds.

* * *

Carla was out of the car first, sprinting across the grass toward a very inconspicuous tall wooden stake that was protruding out of the ground, with Eric and Bill chained in silver to it, above a bed of sticks which were unlit at that moment.

Lafayette walked around the side of the wood to meet Carla.

"Lafayette" She began, then corrected herself. "Marnie, this isn't going to fix a thing"

The witch raised her hand, obviously going to cast a spell on Carla, thankfully her body was not affected by magic of her level only with the demon, the power that she must have killed Jesús for, would she be able to affect her.

"Don't bother, your low level of magic won't affect me, just please, listen to sense, you were given peace, why not take it and rest?" Carla asked.

"I am dead, you really think I have anything left to lose?" Marnie growled back.

Sookie, Holly and Tara joined her, having got out of the car.

"As your friend Lafayette would say, what goes around comes around bitches!" Marnie told them all.

"Lafayette…" Tara began. "… and Marnie, please don't do this"

"After all they have done to you, you still protect them?" Marnie asked her.

"Killing Bill and Eric isn't going to make any of that go away" Tara told her.

"Revenge with never bring you peace" Eric told her.

"There can't be peace until there is justice for me, for Antonia, for all the women you tortured and burned for centuries!" Marnie yelled.

Holly began to draw a line around them in salt, all around the pyre too.

"All to repress and magic that's older and more powerful than your very existence" Marine continued.

"Marnie, what will this serve?" Bill asked, trying to keep her talking. "There are millions of us, more being made every night, you cannot win"

"I'm already dead, like I told your murderous shape shifting friend here, thanks to you, I have nothing left to lose" Marnie told him.

The witch raised her hands and spoke in Latin, igniting the wood around the vampires.

"Bill!" Sookie ran forward, about to help them, but Marnie raised her hands again, making the fire even more fierce and engulfing.

Sookie then turned to use her powers.

"You can't it's still Lafayette!" Tara told her.

"I can't just let them die!" Sookie threw her fairy energy at him, causing his to be thrown back out of the salt ring, as Holly finished.

Carla morphed into her bird form, flying up to the top of the pole, and then morphing back, thankfully the pole had been knocked far into the ground and was supporting them all, she had one knee rested on the top of the pole, as the smoke billowed up from the flames into her face, almost making her blind.

Carla leaned down and grabbed the silver chain that was looped over Eric's shoulders and around his chest, pulling it quickly off his skin.

Once Eric was free of the beam, he almost fell forward into the fire, weakened because of the burns on his flesh and the silver's wounds.

Carla steadied him, morphing into a bird again, and grabbing each of his shoulders, flying him away from the fire, but still inside the circle.

He groaned in pain, the burns having been extensive.

The three other women had joined hands and begun chanting.

Carla flew back up and freed Bill, who was still on the pyre, quicker this time as she knew what she was doing, and pulled him down too, laying him next to Eric.

Carla morphed back into her human form, looking down at the vampires, apart from their wounds there were okay, not going to die, though both of them were not healing. Carla saw that both of them had silver melted into their wounds from the heat of the fire.

They would only heal if they were fed.

The winds around them picked up, whipping around their bodies. Carla noticed Marnie outside the protective shield which was surrounding them, outlined by the salt on the ground.

The three women continued to chant, as many spirits congregated in graveyard opposite them, all looking at Marnie.

They all began whispering, noisily.

"Marnie"

They all came closer, and Marnie let out a roar, the demon magic that Jesus had had having been taken from him, by Marnie.

"Marnie" One ghost spoke louder than the rest, she was wearing ragged clothes and had knotted curly black hair, the skin that was visible was dirty, but she was smiling.

The demon face suddenly disappeared, and Marnie straightened up, looking at the ghost.

"My sister" She said, smiling.

"You came back to me" Marnie said, a little shocked. "I knew you would"

The girl turned to the fire, and made a circle with her mouth, blowing at the fire, and it went out instantly.

"Antonia! No!" Marnie shouted.

"All creatures have their purpose, even vampires" Antonia stepped closer.

"How can you say that? They murdered us!" Marnie bit back.

"That cruelty served its purpose… to bring you and I together" Antonia replied. "And now I am here to take you home"

"I'm not finished yet" Marnie said, stepped back away from Antonia.

"Oh, yes you are" A familiar voice from what seemed like a long time ago said, very stern and ordering in tone.

It was Sookie's Grandmother.

Carla stood up and walked around the charred wood that had been extinguished for now.

"Holy Goddess" Holly muttered.

"Gran?" Sookie asked.

"Holy shit" Tara added.

The old woman stepped forward and reached into Lafayette's mouth, pulling out a dark cloud and throwing it to the ground, it then took the shape of Marnie.

"Lafayette?!" Tara ran forward to tend to her cousin.

Marnie rolled around on the ground.

"I don't want to go, I am not ready, please" Marnie found her feet, begging the ghosts.

"I was trapped between worlds for four hundred years, lost and driven mad by my rage, I do not want that for you" Antonia told her.

"And what about what I want? Nobody cares what I want!" She shouted back. "All my life, I've been afraid, and who wouldn't be? With dead people murmuring in my ears, who are making me deliver their messages" Marnie turned to Gran, looking down on her as if blaming her. "Making me into a freak! A creepy, pathetic terrified mess, muttering to herself in the corner"

"But that is not who you are anymore" Antonia told her.

"No, that's right, I'm not afraid anymore, I've got real power now and you want to take that away from me?" Marnie asked, tears appearing in her eyes.

"You want them to win?" Marnie asked, looking down at the two still injured vampires on the ground.

"Oh, Marnie, can't you see?" Antonia stepped forward, placing her hands on the woman's hair. "Life is pain, but soon all you have suffered and feared will be meaningless, you will be at peace, but them" Antonia indicated the vampires.

"They're be stuck here, forever" She worked out.

"And there is no victory in that" Antonia decided.

Marnie looked all around, taking in the faces of the ghosts, then the four women and the vampires, then she began screaming, finally letting all her hate out and her frustration.

"That's right honey, let it all out! Cause there's no room for that where we're going" Gran stepped forward, smiling.

"Oh, this fucking sucks" Marnie began to cry, tears streaming down her face.

"Change is hard" Antonia told her, smiling.

Antonia took Marnie's hand, leading her towards the rest of the ghosts.

Gran was about to follow, but Sookie stepped forwards, as did Carla.

"Please don't go" Sookie said, choking up.

Carla felt a hand on the back of her thigh, and a voice, one she still recognised, though it was from so long ago.

"Ma?" the voice said, still high pitched.

Carla froze, turning on her heel to see who it was.

Carla met with the eyes of the one boy that she had told herself she would never see again.

"Eric?" Carl asked, kneeling down to get a better look at the boy, he looked just as she remembered him.

"Oh my god, Eric" Carla wrapped her arms around the little body, hugging him close to her. "My boy, my little boy, I am, so, so sorry…" Carla also began to choke up, feeling tears pooling in her eyes.

Carla pulled back from the boy.

"Please don't blame yourself Ma, I am happy where I am, it's nice" Carla blinked, wiping underneath one of her eyes.

"Really?"

The little boy nodded.

"But Daddy's not well, please help him, he's sick, he needs your help Ma, please help him, don't blame him..." The little boy said.

"What... What do you mean?" Carla asked, looking at the little boy, her son.

"Save Daddy... Ma, for me, you'll see soon" Eric said, his understanding limited, it must have seen something, he must have been watching over her and Clive from the very start, he knew what was happening to Clive.

Sookie's grandmother walked to the side of him, taking his hand.

"Time to go back" She told him.

"Okay" The little boy smiled up at the old woman.

"Thank you, Carla, thank you for looking after my Sookie, I'm always fond of those who keep their promises" Gran smiled down at her.

"You're welcome, Mrs Stackhouse" Carla blinked away the tears, smiling.

"Now, say goodbye to your mother"

"Bye Ma" little Eric smiled.

Carla leaned forward and kissed the little boy on the cheek.

"Goodbye my sweet"

Adele and little Eric began walking back towards the cemetery.

All of the figures disappeared, one by one, flickering out of existence.

Carla stood up, wiping her eyes and taking in a deep breath.

"Lafayette? Lafayette? Are you okay? Bitch speak to me!" Tara shook her cousin.

Carla remembered that she had left Eric on the ground with Bill, she rushed back over to him, kneeling next to him.

"Eric?" Carla asked, the vampire groaned, as did Bill, in unison. "Can you walk?" Carla asked him.

The vampire nodded.

Carla grabbed Eric's arm and wrapped it around her shoulder to support him.

"Sookie, can you grab Bill?" Carla asked her, she nodded, rushing to help him.

* * *

Carla supported Eric, managing to get him inside.

Bill had told her to take him up to the spare bedroom and sort him out while he was in the lounge with Sookie.

Carla peeled Eric's trousers off, as they were ruined anyway, wrapping a dressing gown around him.

His body still hadn't healed, so Carla offered him her wrist as he sat on the box at the end of the bed. He took it, biting into it gently and sucking the blood from her.

Carla relaxed completely, liking the feeling of him sucking on her wrist, pulling the life out of her.

He stopped briefly to look up into her eyes. She saw the lust that danced in his eyes, savouring every sip.

He bit down into her again, sucking for longer and deeper periods, growling softly as he did so.

As his skin healed over, Carla decided that was enough.

"Alright, I think you've had enough" Carla pulled away slightly, but he held on, taking a final long suck from her, before pulling away and piercing the end of his finger on one of his fangs, patting the blood on both of the small wounds he had made.

"Thank you" Eric said, licking his lips carefully.

"You're more than welcome" Carla took her hand back, putting it in her lap.

"Strange, your blood seems to taste better and better the more and more I drink from you" Eric raised an eyebrow.

Carla looked down, pushing herself up into a standing position and took a few steps away from the bed.

"Russel said that was how it worked" Carla sighed, her shoulders a little stiff.

She heard Eric get up behind her, and approach.

He wrapped his long arms around her waist, and placed his head on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Eric whispered in her ear, holding her close to him, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"I saw my little boy tonight, he told me to save Clive, that he was sick, i don't understand..." Carla asked, turning around in his arms, so they were facing one another.

Eric looked down into her eyes for moment.

"Well at least you know he's alive" Eric said. "Soon you can give him the same treatment you did Rob...?" Eric asked as if it was a question.

"He told me not to blame him, that it wasn't his fault..." Carla trailed off.

"Whatever you decide to do, I will stand by you, as long as you're mine of course" Eric grinned, kissing her forehead and hugging her to his chest.

She laid her check against him.

"Will the drama ever end?" Carla asked him.

"I promise you, it will" Eric was full on sincerity, he squeezed her tightly, kissing her on the forehead again.

Carla yawned deeply.

"You're exhausted, let me take you home?" it sounded somewhere between a question and a statement.

"If you wish" Carla smiled up at the vampire.

She really did feel exhausted after the night.

* * *

Eric took her back to Sookie's, he promised to lay with her until she fell asleep, then he would have to go back and help at Fangtasia, which Carla understood.

Now she was being woken up by the sound of Sookie calling up the stairs after her.

Carla got out of bed, still having had her clothes on.

Eric had gone, and it was about three in the morning.

Suddenly there was a loud gunshot from downstairs and the sound of glass smashing, raised voices.

Carla rushed down the stairs, rounding the corner into the kitchen even with her feet sliding on the floor.

She turned the corner just in time to see Sookie fire a sawn off shot gun into the neck of a woman underneath her, getting a glimpse of the woman's face, it was Debbie.

Blood spattered on the floor and on the cabinet behind as well as large chunks of skull and brain.

There was another body lying on the floor.

Tara was there, completely immobile, with glass scattered around her and blood seeping from the side of her head where she had been shot.

Carla leaned down next to her, inspecting the wound, which was deep and had taken off the side of her head with it.

Sookie jumped off Debbie quickly, throwing the gun down of the floor next to her. She pulled Tara's body from the floor onto her lap, rocking back and forth, trying to get the woman to respond.

"Tara! Tara no! Help us, please somebody help us!" Sookie shrieked.

* * *

**Review for the longest chapter so far? Please? :D 8000 words!**

**Hope you enjoyed, next chapter will be the beginning of season 5, where things will get a little rocky for Eric and Carla, there'll be returns of at least two old faces, you can probably guess! Points for those who do!**

**Thank you for your continued support on this fanfic, i am loving writing it and particularly looking forward too this next season as I've had some great ideas for what to happen for a long time now!**

**Please tell me what you think, i am open to all constructive criticism and i'd like to say thank you to all those who have left reviews, followed, favorited and even viewed my fanfic, it all shows me that you follow my content and enjoy it and i am very happy to know that you do.**

**Until next time, have a great day!**

**-Shad out.**


	36. New Life In Death

**Welcome back! I hope you enjoy! :D**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-six - New Life In Death

* * *

Carla heard feet rushing down the stairs, they must have brought Lafayette back to the house to. He came rushing into the kitchen.

_"...What the fuck was that... please not someone else... no more death... please..."_ Lafayette's panicked voice sprung into Carla head, her control completely gone.

She took a moment to try and catch the reins.

"No! Fucking, no! Tara don't fucking do this to me!" Lafayette got to his knees, grabbing a tea towel from the counter and pushing it against the wound on the side of the woman's head.

"Debbie tried to kill me and she jumped in the middle" Sookie explained, her face covered in the tears and her voice quaking.

"Come on, Tara" Lafayette put his ear to the woman's chest, listening for a heartbeat.

He began pumping her chest to try and restart her heart.

"Lay her flat" Carla told them. She swept the glass away from the body so that the CPR was more effective. "Compress the wound" She tried to remain calm, something the others couldn't quite achieve.

"Eric? We need to talk" Pam's voice came from the front of the house, having let herself in.

"Pam?" Carla called to her, in and instant she was in the room, glancing over the scene.

"Well, colour me impressed, you guys know how to party" Pam joked, in the morbid situation, probably not the best time.

"Eric's not here, now get out of my house!" Sookie shouted at the vampire.

"You mean Eric's house?" Pam retorted. Really not the best time, Carla thought.

"If you had any decency left in you at all you would let us be" Sookie growled.

"I need to talk to Eric" Pam, keeping her cool still, replied.

Carla got up, turning to the vampire, not noticing the fact her clothes were sodden with blood.

"Pam, if you do not leave, I will make you leave" Carla growled, her eyes flashing grey, as a warning that she was far more powerful than the vampire.

_"...Tara... fuck... she needs another chance, she deserves another chance!"_ Lafayette's thoughts were twice as intense in his grief, breaking through what little control Carla had, a pang of pain resounded in her head.

"Fine, just if you see Eric, tell him…. Tell him I'm sorry" Pam said, about to leave.

"Hold up! Hold up!" Lafayette spoke up, talking to Pam.

Carla looked over her shoulder and down at them. "Turn her for us" Lafayette asked.

"What?" Sookie asked.

"Lafayette…" Carla began.

"Turn her? I don't even like her" Pam shrugged.

"Lafayette, Tara hates vampires" Sookie said, unsure.

"Bitch, she took a bullet for you. You really going to deny her a chance to live?" Lafayette asked, changing Sookie's mind, this was a bad idea.

"Are you sure this is the best idea..." Carla muttered, looking down at the two.

"I can't be the only one who's noticed she's missing half her head, now can I? Even if I tried, what's to say that she won't rise up out of the ground tomorrow night completely and utterly fucktarded?" Pam asked, hardly being sensitive.

"We have to try!" Sookie begged.

Pam began walking away.

"Sook!" Lafayette shouted.

"Pam" Carla swung around. "I can owe you" Carla told her.

She turned around.

"Owe me what?" She asked.

"I can make the witches spells go away, what if I can do that for yours?" Sookie asked.

"My spell died when Marnie died, what else you got?" Pam asked.

"Just fucking do it!" Lafayette shouted, knowing they were running out of time.

"I can talk to Eric, I bet he's still pretty sour about you almost killing me last night? No?" Carla asked.

"If you can do that... and still owe me one, then sure, you got a deal" Pam said.

Carla didn't have time to think, she simply nodded. "I swear" Carla agreed.

"Just do it!" Sookie said.

Pam produced her fangs and the two of them raised up Tara from the floor, opening her mouth.

Pam let her blood drip into Tara's mouth, though there were no immediate obvious effects.

* * *

About half an hour later the three of them were digging a hole in the back garden big enough for Tara and Pam.

When it was deep enough, Pam laid inside.

Carla pushed the shovel she was using into the ground, raising a hand to her forehead to rub it, her headache still loud and painful.

"Bring the girl" She ordered them.

Lafayette and Sookie carried Tara around next to Pam.

"Ugh… She smells" Pam growled.

"What is that bad?" Sookie asked.

"Can't imagine it's good" Pam commented.

"Aren't you meant to hold her or something? We had a deal, if you're not going to do it right it's off" Sookie told her.

"I am wearing a Walmart sweat suit for y'all, I that's not an expression of team spirit I don't know what is" Pam grumbled, turning over and placing her hand on Tara. "Bury us" She ordered.

The three of them began throwing the dirt back in the hole over the two bodies.

* * *

After burying the two, all of them went back inside the house.

Carla and Lafayette sat at the dining table, not saying a word.

Lafayette popped a few pills, probably to calm his nerves.

_"...She's probably gone... the two closest people in my life... in one day... fuck you god... fuck you whoever did this to me..."_

Carla slammed her hand on the table and pushed herself out of the chair.

Lafayette almost jumped out of his skin.

Carla went to the sink and splashed water on her face.

"What the fuck is up with chu?" Lafayette asked.

"Apart from the fact that all of your thoughts sound like they're coming over a PA system right in my ear?" Carla asked.

Lafayette didn't reply.

Carla turned around. "I'm sorry... it's not your fault, ignore me" Carla shrugged.

Sookie came striding through to the kitchen with a shower curtain and laid it out on the kitchen floor next to Debbie's body, which really did look a mess, missing most of the head and face.

Carla tried to avert her eyes.

"Anything big enough to pick up with our hands, we put in here" Sookie told them both. "Hey, how're you two holding up?"

Carla grabbed a pair of marigolds off the side of the sink, pulling them on.

She leaned down on the other side of the body, picking up the many bits of brain and bone that were scattered around on the floor near the body.

"Fine" Carla told her.

"I ain't" Lafayette said.

Sookie picked up a large portion of skull that had been ripped away in the blast, dropping it on the shower curtain next to her.

"Oh sweet fucking jesus" Lafayette looked away, taking another pill.

"Look, If you can't do this right now, I'll understand" Sookie said to the man.

Carla placed two handfuls of remains on the shower curtain.

"You've been through way more than any one person can take"

"Sook, now I am the last person on the planet to trust the police, but why don't you just tell them it was self-defence? Shit you a white girl, they gonna believe you" Lafayette asked her.

"It wasn't self-defence" Sookie proclaimed.

Carla looked up.

"What?" Carla asked.

"You shot that dirty bitch with her gun in your house" Lafayette straightened out the facts.

"You know they say, in the heat of the moment, that people don't have time to think?"

"Uh huh" Lafayette replied.

"Well I did, I thought, 'you don't have the do this, you've got the gun now, you could call the police, or Jason, and they'd lock her away forever'" Sookie explained. "I decided to pull the trigger instead, I wanted, to kill her, does that sound like self-defence to you?" She asked.

"Can't say she didn't deserve it neither, she shot Carla in the heart, almost killed her and she might have just killed Tara" Sookie added.

"Gimme some gloves" Lafayette requested.

"By the sink" Carla told him.

They all got on with cleaning up the mess.

* * *

Once they were done disposing of the body, it was about half an hour before dawn.

Carla headed up to her room to relax, when her phone vibrated into life.

The caller ID read: Eric N

She picked up the phone.

"Hello Eric" Carla said.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you for the past three hours, what were you doing?" Eric sounded stressed and worried.

"Long story…" Carla began.

"I don't have time, it's close to dawn and I need to discuss something with you" Eric interrupted her.

"Okay, go on"

"We're in New Orleans, can you get here for tomorrow night?" Eric asked.

What the hell was he doing all the way down there? We?

"Yes, of course I can, but why? Who's we?"

"We need to talk, I am sure you can sniff me out, just meet me there at nightfall. I'll be expecting you. I'll send you an approximate address, just follow your nose from there" Eric said.

"Very well, see you then lover" Carla replied.

"You too, lover" Eric joked.

She hung up.

Resting the closed phone to her lips for a moment.

She had a terrible feeling right in the pit of her stomach, something was terribly wrong. She couldn't trust her divination, maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her.

* * *

Carla couldn't sleep, so she went out into the garden to rest. She sat looking up at the sky in the long grass, that hadn't been mowed for a while, waiting for the sun to rise.

Sookie came over to her from the house.

"Hey" She said, sitting down next to her.

"Hey" Carla replied.

"Thanks, for talking to Pam tonight" Sookie said.

"It's fine. Tara deserves another shot, she saved your life, it would be cruel to not allow her to at least try again, though I guess she's not going to be happy when she wakes up" Carla sighed.

"I doubt it" Sookie sighed. "You know when I was growing up, everyone thought I was a freak. Tara was always there to stand up for me, she was so close, it's like I've lost one of my hands or something"

"You haven't lost anything. She'll wake up tomorrow, I promise you that, she's a fighter" Carla wrapped her arm around Sookie.

"I don't think I am ever going to be able to look Alcide in the eye again" Sookie said.

"Me neither, let's hope that he doesn't come visit any time soon" Carla replied.

Sookie nodded.

"I better go. Lafayette wanted to go back to his house" Sookie said. "To lay Jesús to rest"

"Okay, I'll stay here then" Carla looked down at herself in her bloody clothes. "And get a bath and a change of clothes" Carla commented.

Sookie nodded. "Looks like I need one too, see you soon" Sookie wandered back towards the house.

Carla stayed out on the lawn until they left, before going in and cleaning herself up.

* * *

Carla pulled a new pair of white jeans on, with a white vest top and thin silk blouse over the top.

At least Eric knew something of her taste in clothes, considering he had filled the wardrobe.

She headed downstairs, the sun was now bursting in through the windows. Carla went into the kitchen, looking over it again, making sure they hadn't missed any blood anywhere.

They had taken off the doors on one of the cabinets, the one that had been smashed in the blast.

It looked a little odd, but soon they would be replaced, it was not as if they would see Alcide any time soon, hopefully he was busy with work and didn't come back to speak with her about their conversation.

Looking down where Debbie's body had been, Carla saw a very inconspicuous tooth with the root attached to the bottom. She picked it up and quickly disposed of it in the bin.

Carla sighed and went about making herself some breakfast.

* * *

A few hours later, Carla was still sat at the kitchen table.

Sookie had come home with Lafayette earlier and they were upstairs getting cleaned up.

A knocking came from the front door, heavy and resounding.

Carla got up, a little nervous, and edged her way towards the door.

On the other side of the door was the last person she had wanted to today.

Alcide waved at her, a smile on his face.

Shit. He had seen her. Now she had to let him in...

Carla opened the door, her hair had dried in the heat of the morning, and it was puffing out uncontrollably.

"Hey" Carla said, forcing a smile, but trying not to make it look forced.

"Hi Carla, we need to talk" Alcide said, panting a little, as if he was either stressed or had been running.

"Uhh, yeah sure, come with me I'll see if Sookie has any cold drinks in the fridge" Carla stepped backwards to let the tall man in, shutting the door behind him and then striding off towards the kitchen.

Alcide following her.

Carla opened the fridge, looking inside, thankfully there was some lemonade in a jug. Sookie and her lemonade.

She pulled it out and placed it on the kitchen table.

"Please, sit down" Carla offered, reaching up to grab a glass for each of them.

"What happened to the cabinet?" Alcide asked, looking over his shoulder.

"You know Sookie, just has a decorating moment and decides to change the place up a bit" Carla smiled, taking the glasses to the table.

"She forget to do it with the other side?" He asked, chuckling.

"Think she got side tracked mid-way through" Carla smiled.

"Must have been with cleaning, I've never seen a kitchen this clean, smells like lemons on top of ammonia on top of bleach" Alcide commented.

"Sookie went on a cleaning rampage last night, she's still a little shook up about the stuff that's been going on recently, finds it hard to sleep, I think cleaning is her stress buster" Carla explained, lying through her teeth.

"And how're you feeling, after everything...?" Alcide asked.

"I'm fine, always just fine, the way i see it is if you keep on moving forward you won't have time to stop and look around you at how shit things may or may not have become" Carla replied.

"Speaking of Sookie, is she here, I need to speak to both of you really" Alcide asked.

"She might be in the shower, but I'll give her a call" Carla said, getting up and heading to the stairs.

"Sookie! You out yet?!" Carla called, listening for the reply.

"I'll be down in a bit!" Sookie called back.

"We're in the kitchen!" Carla told her. Sending a quick mental message of: "It's Alcide." in the hope that Sookie would hear her.

She headed back into the kitchen and poured the lemonade.

"She'll be down in a bit" Carla smiled, handing him his lemonade. "Do you want to wait?" Carla asked.

"Would be best" Alcide nodded.

Carla sat back down.

"So, did you think any more about what I said?" Alcide enquired.

"Umm, well, don't you think it's a little soon? I mean, since you left Debbie... are you sure you're not rushing things?" Carla replied, unsure. Carla didn't have the heart to outright tell him she was not interested, even though she had Eric. Alcide was in an uneven place right now, a word from her might push him over the edge. He had just lost the love of his life, for the second time, God knew what he would do when he found out she was dead as well. Additionally that Carla had just that previous night been scooping her remains into a shower curtain...

"No, I'm seeing clear. Debbie's out of my life, completely and now I want to start a fresh and be secure" Alcide explained.

"Alcide, I-"

Sookie cut her off, by walking into the kitchen, her face suddenly springing into a grin when she saw Alcide, pretending that she had not been doing the exact same thing as Carla the previous night.

"Hey Alcide, what's going on that you couldn't call?" Sookie asked.

Clearly she hadn't heard her mental message.

"It's Russel Edgington, he's on the loose" Alcide told them both.

"What?" Carla sat up straight, leaning forward on the table.

"I thought Russel Edgington was dead" Sookie admitted.

Alcide sighed. "Those motherfuckers, they didn't even tell you?" Alcide shook his head.

"Tell us what?" Carla asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A year ago, they took him to one of my construction sites, it was a high-rise parking garage, they buried him under about two meters of cement. I wasn't privy to anything about it, other than the pouring of the cement" Alcide explained.

"What the fuck were they thinking" Carla placed her hand on her forehead, her mind almost blown by this fact.

"Now Russel's gonna come after both of you and that's why you both need to come and stay with me" Alcide told them.

"We can't" Sookie told him outright.

"What-?"

"We have to stay here" Sookie told him.

"God damn-"

"It's not personal-" Carla tried to say, sitting back down in her chair, resting her elbows on the table and rubbing her eyes.

"Both of your lives are on the line here" Alcide interrupted her.

"You won't want either of us to stay with you, once you've heard why we can't stay with you" Carla said, looking up at Alcide.

"Whatever it is, I can handle it" Alcide assured Carla, before glancing at Sookie and back again.

"Last night, after I got back from Bill's, I-"

Sookie was cut off by Lafayette rushing in from the lounge.

"Woah, woah, woah, get the fuck up out of here wolf!" Lafayette shouted, pushing Alcide back off his chair, being surprisingly hostile.

"What the fuck is his problem?" Alcide asked.

"He just broke up with his boyfriend, he's not exactly himself…" Sookie explained.

"I'm real sorry about you and your boyfriend, but I'm here before both Carla and Sookie are in a whole lot of danger" Alcide explained, not interesting in starting a fight.

"I heard, I've been listening, how the fuck do you think you can protect either of them from an ancient, pissed off vampire when all werewolves do is piss off vampires even more" Lafayette shouted back. "We done with all this supernatural bullshit. You hear me? No vampires, No witches, No ghosts, no Maenads, and no mother fucking werewolves!" Lafayette yelled, slamming his hands into Alcide's chest.

Alcide took another step towards Lafayette looking threatening and growled his low wolf growl.

Carla shot up out of her seat.

"Please! Just stop it!" She yelled.

"Don't you fucking growl at me!" Lafayette yelled at the man, still up in his face.

"I'll make whatever fucking noise I want!" Alcide snarled back.

"Fine, you know what, just get on with it, I am done!" Carla turned around, and strode straight for the exit, grabbing her leather coat with was on the hanger with her car keys in the pocket, striding straight out to her car.

It was about time she set off for the port to meet Eric anyway, she just needed to get out of there.

She thrust the keys into the ignition and three point turned out of the driveway, heading towards New Orleans.

Carla was suitably pissed off to have a very heated argument with the vampire.

* * *

Carla arrived at the address Eric had texted her just as the sun was going down.

She got out of her car and realised the area was mostly deserted. She shifted and followed her nose to find Eric, which led her to a long wooden planked pier with a metal shipping crate on the end.

She ran along the pier, dragging her claws along the metal shipping container, morphing in the process.

She stepped a few strides in front of the container, the door was open, with Bill standing with his back up against the corner.

Eric stepped out, joined by a woman, he instantly saw the sour look on her face, and knew something was wrong.

Eric's phone began to ring.

He picked it up out of his pocket, about to answer it.

Carla morphed momentarily to snatch the phone out of his hand at vamp speed, something she had not planned to do, but her body reacted to her mind's commands without her consent.

As she had expected, it was Alcide.

She answered it.

"Hello Alcide, yeah, I get around quickly" Carla wandered around casually, pacing back and forth the width of the pier, she paused in the centre and looked Eric right in the eye. "Oh, Russel Edgington is on the loose? There was a hole in the parking lot floor and your worker was glamoured, oh don't worry, I'll be sure to tell him, take care" She put the phone down.

"I've gotta hand it to you Eric, you have royally fucked this one up" She skimmed the phone along the floor to his feet. "So when were you planning to tell me, or were you even planning to tell me at all?" Carla asked.

"Carla, I didn't have the time, i…" He trailed off.

"You got carried away? You thought it didn't matter? You thought he would go unfound? You thought that running off and fucking some other vampire would be a better way to spend your precious time?" Carla asked, pointing at the woman who was next to him, who she could see he had been fucking, due to the fact that he was barely clothed, as was she.

"Carla, please, listen, the authority has put orders for both of us to meet the true death" He indicated Bill. "This is Nora, she's giving us safe passage out of the country and we're to take on false identities, I am telling you because I want you to come with us" Eric explained.

"Right, you want me to run with you and leave Sookie to deal with Russel on her own, only for him to come after me next, he is three thousand years old and he may be completely insane, but he is also brilliantly intelligent, you really think he won't find me and you?" Carla asked. Eric didn't reply.

"I am a prime example of why running doesn't solve a damn thing, so if you want to run and lay low from the authority, very well, but I am staying here to try and find Russel before he's too powerful for me to kill him myself"

"Carla…" Eric started, looking cracked, the same way he looked that night in Fangtasia before she left him, after she had betrayed his trust to save Sookie from Bill.

"Goodbye, Eric" Carla faced down, walking past Eric, who reached out for her arm, but she moved away to avoid him.

She morphed and rushed back towards her car, getting in, ready to drive most of the night to get back to Bon temps.

* * *

When Carla arrived back in Bon Temps, she decided against going home, instead she thought that the best place to start looking for Russel was in the garage that Eric and Bill had buried him in.

Carla pulled over to the side of the road, and pulling her mobile out of her pocket.

Alcide picked up on the third ring.

"Herveaux"

"Hello Alcide, you mind if I come by?" Carla asked, finding herself hoping he would accept.

"Yeah, course" He told her, he gave her his address, which thankfully she knew how to get to and said she'd be there as soon as she could.

* * *

It took about twenty minutes for Carla to arrive outside Alcide's house, a relatively new house in Shreveport.

Carla shut off her engine and slipped out of the driver's seat. She turned the keys in the lock and the car central locked.

She wandered up the garden path, looking into the windows at either side of the door.

No sign of Alcide.

Carla tapped her knuckles on the front door gently, waiting for the door to be answered.

Alcide opened the door quickly, a smiling springing to his face.

"Hey Carla, please come in" He offered.

_"...My god, her hair... what i wouldn't give to take a fist-full of that...and her figure... fucking beautiful..."_ Carla pushed his voice to the back of her mind, trying to push it out all together, but it seemed to linger, tempting her.

"Hey, thanks" Carla smiled back, stepping onto the mat and wiping her feet before wandering in.

Alcide closed the door behind him and walked past Carla into his rather posh looking lounge room, sitting down on the couch.

"Come, sit" He offered, patting the space next to him.

Carla took it, but she didn't sit too close.

"Sorry to bother you, I know you're a busy man. I just needed to talk to you about the place where Russel was buried?" Carla placed her hands in her lap and didn't move them, simply wanting to get the information and then leave.

Carla decided that even if she did want to start something with Alcide at some point, it would not be now, or soon, not this soon after Eric.

"Er, yeah, I can give you the address" He pulled a small notebook out of his pocket, along with a small pencil.

"So you said one of your workers was glamoured? Do you know if he'll be working today?" Carla asked, as Alcide scribbled down the address.

"Yeah, but his lunch hour is between one and two in the afternoon, so if you turn up then, the place'll be empty, the front gate'll be locked, but I'm sure you can work your way around it" Alcide smiled, handing the address to Carla, you took it and stuffed it into her pocket.

"Right, thanks a lot Alcide, you're a real help" Carla got up and turned around, heading for the door.

"Carla, wait a second" Alcide got up, going after her. "Are you going to look for Russel alone?" He asked.

"Yeah, since Eric and Bill are leaving the country last I heard and Sookie doesn't need the hassle" Carla tried to keep her mind off Debbie, not wanting to focus on anything but finding Russel, specially not her conscience.

"Surely you shouldn't be doing that all by yourself?" Alcide asked.

"Like I said, there's no-one else" Carla explained.

"Let me come with you then, I'll help you find him, two noses is better than one" Alcide offered.

"No Alcide, I don't want to pull you into this, this isn't your concern and I certainly don't want to be responsible for anything happening to you" Carla crossed her arms.

"This is my decision to make, I am responsible for myself" Alcide fought back.

"Alcide, this is a three thousand year old fucking vampire, who among other things, is completely nuts and wants to subjugate the whole world, you really should not be wanting to get involved" Carla turned around. "I'll see myself out"

"Carla, wait" Alcide stepped forward and grabbed the woman's arm.

Carla turned to face him.

Alcide leaned forwards and pressed his lips to Carla's, moving closer to her and laying his hand on her neck, before moving it up into her hair, grabbing it gently in his fist.

_"...Nothing else I want... Just let me have this... I want this... Let me have you!"_

Carla pulled back, a shocked look on her face.

"Carla, I'm sorry, I just- I thought you and Eric were done, I-" Alcide started, but Carla opened the door and walked out, rushing down the garden path, with Alcide close behind.

"Carla! Wait! I can explain!" Alcide begged, but Carla didn't know how to respond. She opened her car door and ducked down into the seat, closing the door and stepping on the gas.

She heard Alcide's voice yelling in the background, but she ignored it, she knew this would happen

She should have told Alcide her standing straight away, but he should have known she was with Eric.

Crap.

* * *

**The plot thickens! Haha, well i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks for spending your time reading it, it is much appreciated.**

**Please feel free to leave me a review and tell me what you think!**

**Until next time, **

**-Shad out :)**


	37. Druid-napped

**Welcome back and thank you for returning to read more! Hope you enjoy :D**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-seven - Druid-napped

* * *

Pulling up in the Stackhouse's front driveway, Carla killed the engine, leaning back in her seat.

She let out a long sigh.

In the space of forty-eight hours she had lost her partner, learned she was in danger from an impossibly ancient vampire and had just killed her brother-in-law.

She relaxed all her muscles, for which felt like the first time in an age.

The sun was only poking the top of its sphere above the horizon, the rest being concealed below the trees around the house as it slowly crept down.

Carla was still holding on to the steering wheel, taking a moment in her own company to put on a brave face.

Carla closed her eyes and hugged herself, trying to resist the urge to cry and release all this pain.

It felt like her world was crumbling away.

Gods knew if she'd ever see Eric again.

_"...Don't fret... Eric's not gone... have faith..."_ Carla raised her head and turned to the source of the words.

Godric was sitting next to her, looking just as he did on the day he had burned on the rooftop in her arms, but more bright than before, like his skin had an intense white light underneath it.

_"...How?"_ was all that Carla could manage.

The vampire smiled.

_"...You absorbed my light, your new abilities are helping me to communicate with you"_ Godric explained.

_"...Your light?"_ Carla asked, in her thoughts, but then she remembered, when Godric had burned, the blue light that his body had produced scattered into blue dust which danced over her skin.

He had been watching her from then?

Without warning the front door of the house was thrown open and a shape sped out, it paused on the front door step.

There was a distinct spraying sound and then a high pitched scream.

Godric dissipated into the air next to her.

Carla turned to look at the source of the scream and stepped out of the car instinctively.

Tara was under the porch screaming, before she turned and rushed off into the woods.

Sookie and Lafayette ran out of the house after her, calling after Tara.

"Carla! Help us!" Lafayette called at Carla, snapping her out of her transfixion on the part of the brush where Tara can disappeared into.

Carla morphed into a cat, her go to form, and rushed off into the woods following the vampire's scent.

She wasn't really sure what she was doing, she left like she wasn't completely there at the moment, her mind distant and her body just following the orders of others due to the lack of their usual master.

She caught up with the vampire, she was way ahead of Sookie and Lafayette by now and Tara looked back at her, the look in her dark eyes was mostly animalistic, her face mostly emotionless.

Carla morphed back into her human form, and Tara didn't move.

"Tara…" Carla sighed.

"Please don't call them…" Tara fought back tears.

"I am… so sorry…" Carla stepped closer, but Tara stepped back.

"Please…" Tara choked back tears. "I don't want to hurt you"

Carla shook her head.

"You won't hurt me Tara, I can stop you if you try, just… let me help you, I won't tell Sookie, I swear to you" Carla took another step towards the baby vamp, and this time she didn't step back.

Tara nodded.

"Where do you want to go?" Carla asked her.

"I am so fucking hungry" Tara gasped, now in full bloody-teared crying mode.

"Let's go to Merlotte's, Sam can get you some true blood" Carla morphed, rushing off in the direction of the bar.

Carla heard the footsteps of the vampire behind her and didn't run at full speed so that she could keep up. Carla heard the distant calls of Lafayette and Sookie as they clomped towards the area where they had been standing a few moments ago, which was now deserted.

* * *

Carla morphed back, seeing Sam walk across the car park to his trailer, behind her Tara came to a halt, breathing deeply.

Sam heard them immediately, and began sniffing the air and coming closer.

Carla stepped forward into the car park, with Tara close behind.

"Sam, we need your help" Carla said, the shifter came closer.

"What the hell happened?" Sam asked, looking at Tara's bloodied face and her extended fangs.

"She's hungry, she needs to feed, do you have any true blood?" Carla asked.

Sam nodded. "Of course come in to the bar, I'll get her some" Carla turned to give Tara a reassuring smile and then followed the man into the bar.

At this point the sun was edging closer to the sky and so Tera had to rush inside to get out fo the sun's rays.

Moments later Tara was draining another true blood bottle to add to her collection of empty bottles in front of her, which had now reached eight in total.

Sam placed another pack on the floor, unscrewing the top.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call anyone and tell them that you're here?" Sam asked Tara.

She shook her head and snatched the bottle from his hands, beginning to gulp it down.

"Sookie? Lafayette?" Tara shook her head.

They were all sat in the kitchen on the floor under the cover from the gradually rising sun outside.

"Sam, you can't tell them about this, you can't tell them either of us are here" Carla explained, standing up in front of the sitting Tara and kneeling Sam as Tara began her next true blood bottle.

"Why not?" Sam asked, glancing between the two of them.

"You just need to promise me, please" Carla begged.

Sam sighed and then nodded after a moment of thought.

"Fine" Sam agreed.

Tara placed her final bottle down on the floor, and then began to dangerously sway in her seat.

Her eyes fluttered for a few moments, she was about to pass out.

Carla kneeled down and grabbed her back, preventing her from falling backwards.

"Tara?!" Sam said.

Carla looped one arm under her legs and picked her up.

"We need somewhere light tight to put her" Carla told Sam.

"Well what's wrong with her? What just happened?" He asked, confused, worried for Tara.

"I don't know, but she'll need somewhere to rest for the day" Carla said, just hoping the woman was okay.

"Uhhh" Sam thought out loud. "The walk-in, it's light tight" Sam assured her.

"Alright" Carla carried the baby vampire across the kitchen and waited for Sam to open the door to the walk-in for her. She gently placed her body down on the hard ground, propping her back up against the corner of the room.

She walked back out into the kitchen, closing the door behind her.

Sam came walking back into the room with a sign written on a piece of cardboard reading 'Danger! Out of order! Keep out!'.

He cello-taped it to the walk-in freezer.

Carla ran her hand through her hair, pulling her sodden fringe off her sweaty brow, it was a hot night, the hottest for a long while and on top of the fact that Carla still felt abnormally hot, probably due to the fairy blood still coursing through her.

"Thank you for this, Sam" Carla said, glancing at the man. He shrugged.

"Tara's a friend, it's no problem" He made his way back to the office.

Carla followed.

"Listen, if you want me to leave I'm fine with it, I assume you're pissed off with the fact I bunked off my last two hours of work on Halloween and I don't blame you, I am a terrible employee" Carla shrugged.

"You're right, you are a terrible employee, you do good work when you actually stay for your hours, but your attendance is shocking" He looked up from his desk at her, a small smile on his face.

"I know the more and more I say it the less and less it means anything, but I am sorry" Carla admitted, shrugging.

"What happened to you Carla? You were a sweet girl when you came here, now you're stone cold and a bad apple, don't tell me you started something serious with Eric Northman? That agreement you made with him in exchange for help with Mary-Ann didn't lead to something more long term?" Sam asked. "Plus you have this dark past which you had to cover up by changing your identity, I mean I wouldn't even know you're real name if Sookie hadn't told me the basics"

"You know, I've started to ask myself the same thing. I fucked up Sam, what can I say, I did so much to protect Sookie from her own vampire threat that I didn't notice I was slowly sinking into my own vampire related danger..." Carla sighed, thinking back to what she had said to Eric.

She was right, he had fucked up, big time, by leaving Russel alive, but she couldn't help herself. She loved the vampire and now she had lost everything she had made over the time she had been here.

"Carla? Are you okay?" Sam asked, stepping closer to her.

Carla had begun to cry, and she had not even noticed it. She took in a deep breath.

"I've lost him… I've lost him and there's not a damn thing I can do about it, I am such... a fool, I can't believe myself... I" Carla choked out, with tears dripping down her face, rushing from the corners of her eyes.

Sam wrapped his arms around her, and patted her on the back.

"Shh… shh… it's okay" Sam gently moved his hand in circles on her back, hugging her gently, comforting her with his friendly embrace.

* * *

Sam allowed her to sleep in his trailer for the night, while he slept in the bar, he was very much a gentleman. Carla promised to be gone by the morning.

She woke up very early, or so she thought, a glance at the clock told her it was seven in the evening.

She pulled herself out of bed, quickly dragging on her clothes and heading for the door.

Once she made her way out of the trailer and around the front of the bar, she saw Alcide's truck parked outside.

She had second thoughts about going inside, instead deciding that she might just turn around and go to the address he had given her to follow Russel's scent.

Before she could turn and leave, the bar's door swung open and Alcide came rushing out towards his truck, followed by Sookie, he was looking at the ground but as he got closer, he noticed her standing there.

Carla didn't move.

Alcide jogged over.

"Carla!" Alcide and Sookie said at the same time.

"Hello" Carla mouthed.

"Right, both of you are going to explain what the hell is going on here" Alcide told both Sookie and Carla, standing by his truck.

Sookie glanced at Carla, as did Carla at Sookie.

It was time to tell the truth.

"I wasn't there when it happened, but I was there for the aftermath" Carla began. "Sookie came home from Bill's on Halloween, she came into the kitchen and Debbie was there, she had a shot gun"

"I asked her what she was doing, and she told me that she should have done this a long time ago, she was aiming the gun right at me, I was backed up near the cupboards and Tara got in the way at the last minute, she took the shot" Sookie explained, taking over. "I got the gun, and…" Sookie tailed off.

"Tell me" Alcide said, looking at Sookie.

"She killed her" Carla told him.

"And neither of you were going to tell me?" Alcide asked.

"I was, I just didn't know how…" Carla was cut off.

"You were going to make me go and search for her?" Alcide asked, more looking at Sookie, but glancing periodically at Carla to.

Sookie nodded.

"You loved her and I wasn't sure what you were going to do, Alcide I am so… so sorry!" Sookie said desperately, tears beginning to make a path down her cheeks.

"Shut up!" Alcide growled, smashing his fist into the side of his truck, full of anger.

"I know it's not my place or the time, but I need to know, I need to know if you're going-"

Carla cut Sookie off.

"Whatever he decides to do, we deserve it" Carla said.

Sookie went quiet.

Alcide strode around his truck and got in the driver's side, speeding away from the bar.

Sookie began to sob and Carla gave her a hug, patting her on the back, letting Sookie cry into her shoulder, as Sam had done for her the previous night.

Things were now much more complicated.

* * *

Carla left for home to clean herself up and change her clothes, afterwards she planned to make her way to the address Alcide had given her.

Thankfully Sookie had not asked what had happened to her after they lost each other in the woods the previous night, so she managed to avoid the whole subject of what happened to Tara.

She rushed up the stairs and got in the bathroom for a quick blast of hot water and then pulled on a pair of light blue jeans which ended just above the knee and a white vest. She acquired a wooden stake from the garden shed that was usually for gardening, and carried it with her for when she found the vampire and a torch just in case she had to make her way into somewhere which was not internally lit.

She slipped out of the house, but left her car in the driveway, finding it easier to get around without driving that around, especially in the early morning.

Carla flew most of the way, arriving at the high-rise parking lot as it turned one in the morning.

She touched down inside the floor which Alcide had specified on his note, finding it easy to get in as the sides of the place were open on the upper floors, with only a concrete guardrail to prevent cars fall out.

She noticed the debris on the floor immediately and made her way to it.

The indent in the floor was quite deep, about the size of a fully grown man in the foetal position.

Something glinted in the rubble around the tunnel, she made her way around the edge to kneel down next to it, picking it up in her hand.

Silver chains, which still had chunks of cement stuck to it as well as blood.

Just what she needed.

She morphed into her cat form, taking several long inhales of the blood on the chains, making sure not to taste it. She really didn't need any sort of connection with Russel, especially as he had already had her blood.

She got the scent, turning to follow it towards the stairs, down, she treaded slowly, making sure to continually inhale and analyse the air to make sure she was still on the right path.

At the bottom of the building she followed the trail all the way to where the scent disappeared and instead was replaced by a faint trail of car fumes.

Carla continued to follow the fumes until they got onto a main road, and the smell blended with lots of other scents in the air, many other motor vehicles were among them.

She continued following the road, wandering down each exit to see if she could locate the scent, but turning back once she realised that they had not turned in that direction due to the lack of it.

It took her at least three and a half long hours, as well as taking many wrong turns, she also had to keep morphing back or taking cover to avoid prying eyes of car drivers and pedestrians as they came along the main road she was following.

The scent finally turned off towards a graveled path that was old and unkempt. There were many weeds poking out from underneath the gravel itself and the lawns were full of many different species of plants all highly overgrown and swaying gently in the night's breeze. The drive way up to the building was also surrounded on one side by tall hedges which was equally overgrown.

Carla followed the path up to the old crumbling building at the end of the driveway, morphing back into her human form.

The place was huge, most of the windows were either completely obscured by grime or missing altogether, ivy was climbing its way along the front of the building, clinging onto every crack and refusing to let go, strangling the very walls of the building into submission.

She walked up the few steps to the front of the building, pulling the doors open, noticing the broken chain and mangled padlock on the floor beneath them.

Someone had definitely been here, someone strong enough to bash a padlock to a pulp.

She wrapped her hand around the stake she had brought, ready to search the place. She made sure to follow her nose, momentarily morphing into her cat form, slowly tracking the scent to ensure she did not lose it or go in the wrong direction.

She was lead to the lower sections of the asylum, knowing that the basement and the morgue would be the easiest place for a vampire to survive, it was obvious he would choose this place, being light tight and the deepest part of the building.

Carla immediately found herself heading down the closest staircase, following old and faded signs on the hospital's walls as well as her nose.

Slowly stepping down the stairs, making sure to watch her feet and avoid any obstacles ensuring she was as quiet as she possibly could be.

Russel was not only faster than her, he was stronger, depending on how far he had gotten to healing himself after his ordeal, surprise may be one of the only things she would have on her side, and so she made sure to preserve it with great importance.

Stepping slowly into a large room, littered with hospital screens and old beds lacking their bed clothes as well as an overturned table, a smell hit her nostrils, hanging heavy in the air.

Rot.

Carla turned her light beam towards a bloodied screen which was almost completely shredded, flashing over a pale shape on the ground, she angled it down to inspect the shape.

It was a severed hand.

Stepping closer, the smell became more and more intense. She side stepped around the screen to look down at a pile of bodies, covered with rats, bloodied and pale, their eyes dead and soulless.

Carla looked away.

Russel was here.

The bodies were fresh, must have only been eaten in the last day.

Voices and footsteps from the corridor.

Carla ran to the corner of the room, backing up behind a screen. She switched off her flashlight and crouched down as low as she could, remaining still.

The footsteps entered the room, filling through slowly, there was more than one, two, and three… five.

A light beam flew around the room slowly as the steps came ever closer.

Carla felt a sleek, small body against her shoe, it ran over her foot and then away, causing a noisy clatter as it ran across the floor towards the bodies.

It was a rat, the light beam followed it closely, before focusing on the screen which hid the bodies.

Carla heard a long inhale, as if someone was sniffing the air.

There was also the sound of a man whimpering, the people stepped closer to the screen, moving the shredded strands out of the way so they could see what was inside.

Carla couldn't see their faces, as they were facing away from her and it was too dark to see their outlines very well either.

"Good lord in heaven" A very familiar voice said, one she knew she didn't have to hide from.

Carla stood up from the corner, stepping out noiselessly.

"Sookie?" she asked.

The light beam swung around and there was the sound of hissing, growling and producing fangs.

The beam landed just below her face, so she could see.

"Carla? What're you doing here?" Sookie asked.

"She's here looking for Russel, same as us" Eric stepped forward, so he was half in the light beam.

"Are you alright?" Sookie asked.

"Fine. What are you doing here? I thought you'd be gone by now?" Carla asked, looking the vampire up and down.

"There was a change of plan" Bill muttered, showing he was here also.

"Who else is there?" Carla asked, turning on her own flashlight to look at the group.

A man was standing behind them someone she didn't recognize, the one who was making small whimpering sounds, this man was holding Sookie's hand, which must have been how they got there, she was un glamouring him somehow.

"Well, looks like it's a party" Carla joked, turning around and heading out of the door, which then led down further into the morgue, which was written in white on the wall.

The rest of them followed, with Eric catching up to walk beside Carla.

"Are we still in this ridiculous fight?" He asked in a low whisper.

"To be honest, I do not wish to speak about it right now, I thought I'd never see you again and I can't say it is any less than a disappointment that I have to" Carla muttered back, glancing back at Sookie who nodded, indicating she was going in the right direction.

She continued to walk down the corridor.

"The truth of the matter is that, if Russel does not kill me, the authority will" Eric said back, ignoring her spiteful comments.

Carla knew she should be throwing her arms around the vampire, knowing that mere hours ago she felt as if she was in pieces, her life itself shattered and mangled simply because she had lost him, everything seemed to be collapsing around her.

But instead she found herself full of hate from the fact that he had indeed never left and the fact that her pride prevented her from saying sorry and reconciling especially when he had made such a momentous mistake in the first place.

"I doubt that very much, if we find Russel down here, the authority will no doubt reward you for your efforts in bringing him in, considering a mere mention of his name or a single picture of his face would spell outrage and revolt by the humans" Carla didn't look at the vampire, she just kept walking forward.

"But there is still the case of who released Russel to begin with, we now know it's a female member of the authority and this could spell serious complications, there's something planned and it's within the very authority itself" Eric muttered, keeping in step with Carla easily with his long stride.

They turned down another long corridor which sloped even further down.

"Well, who did you tell where you buried him? Alcide knew" Carla suggested.

"Not him" Eric answered.

"Did you tell your sister?" Carla asked, she saw him raise an eyebrow out of the corner of her eye.

"No, I did not" He told her.

"What about Bill?" Carla glanced to the side, and caught Eric's eyes, but she quickly looked away again before she became enchanted by their sparkling pale brilliance.

"I trust him" Eric said, in his low and husky tone.

"Do you now" Carla scoffed.

"In any case, I will ensure that Russel does die this time, even if I meet my own end" Eric assured her, maybe it was his way of apologising?

"Very well, could have saved us all the trouble and done it a year ago, but I won't keep bringing it up" Carla replied.

"How did you know Nora was my sister?" Eric asked.

Carla glanced across for a moment, gauging his understanding.

"I've been told you have friends in high places, the only friends that would risk their lives to save you are siblings" Carla told him, looking away again. "I want you to know I am not interested in trying to compete with someone else, if what this is, is going to last, it will have to only be me in your sights" She explained.

He nodded.

"Then the same needs to apply to you as well" Eric said, maybe hinting that he knew about the kiss with Alcide? A twinge of guilt emerged within her.

"I shall" she agreed, maintaining a straight face, or as much as she could, also trying to remain emotionally neutral in the situation.

"If i survive" Eric muttered, so sure he was going to perish.

Suddenly the sniveling and whimpering became louder and the man whose hand Sookie was holding clutched his head.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry, oh my god, I just can't take this, I can't do this, I am so so sorry, I need to get out!" The man turned on his heel and ran back down the corridor, taking a wrong turn into a room at the end of the hall.

"We're being watched" Carla muttered, looking up and down the corridor for proof of this.

Sookie called after him and followed him, where a loud scream sprung from the room he had entered. Carla turned her head to look after them, as did the rest of them.

Eric and Bill rushed after Sookie to find out what the commotion was about.

Carla turned back around and headed down towards the opposite direction, morphing in mid step and following her nose.

She quickly turned into one of the rooms at the end of the corridor, her eyes immediately brought to a bed in the corner of the room, covered in blood, as was the floor, with body parts littering it as well.

"Well, it took you long enough" Russel muttered, not meeting her eyes, relaxing on the bed, his eyes closed, wearing a pair of hospital pyjamas.

Carla morphed back into her human form.

"I could say the same to you" She joked about his time in the ground.

"Mrs. Thompson, how surprising, I definitely did not expect you to be honouring me with such a personal visit" Russel met eyes with her, pretending it was somewhat personal.

"Well, I can't say I am here for a social, but I am definitely going to enjoy our time together" Carla smiled sadistically, wandering closer to the vampire.

"Oh really? How flattering" The vampire smiled his insane smile right back at her.

The others strode into the room behind her, stakes in hands.

"What an infernal racket you people have been making" Russel said, addressing the others.

He took some short sniffs of the air.

"Ms. Stackhouse, always a pleasure" He smiled, meeting the waitress's eyes.

"Fuck you, you psychotic piece of shit" Sookie bit back.

Russel coughed painfully, apparently his body was still weak, lucky for them.

Eric walked closer, his hand tightly gripping the stake that was in it.

"Hello old friend, do you remember me?" Eric grinned widely, showing his extended fangs. "We're here to finish what we started" He told Russel.

"Well, as my great love Talbot used to say, when we were buck hunting…" He looked up at Eric, his gaze piercing right into the vampire's eyes. "Give it your best shot"

There was a low snarling from behind them and Bill was pulled from his feet, and dragged away out of view.

Sookie ran off around the corner, following where Bill had been dragged off to.

There was a heavy thumping sound from behind them in the opposite room, where many body freezers were opened and werewolves jumped out in their wolf forms, protecting Russel.

One headed for Eric and another for Carla.

Carla morphed, just as the wolf jumped at her, it pushed her onto her back, its jaws almost at her throat.

She placed both paws on the sides of its face, extending her claws into the creature's head to ensure it could not reach her.

The were was young and very weak, obviously it was not on V.

She rolled over, so she was on top as the were underneath her whimpered in pain.

Carla brought her heavy jaws down on the creature's throat, crushing its air way and leaving it to choke to death, morphing back into human form in a growing pool of its own blood.

She turned her head and saw Eric throw his were off, where it collided with the wall and there was a heavy snap, the sound of its back breaking on impact.

Carla noticed that Russel was gone, the bed was empty and there was no sign of him.

The sound which accompanied Sookie's use of her fae powers sounded outside the door, along with a blast of bright light which shone through the open door way to the room.

Carla rushed outside and saw Russel had been blasted back and now had his back against the opposite wall. Sookie was thankfully not harmed and Bill threw down the were that was on him, having broken its neck with his hands.

Eric fell upon the ancient vampire, one hand holding the stake that was over his heart, the other around his chin, making sure that he was looking straight into his eyes at the end.

"Look at me, I want to be the last thing you ever see" Eric growled, about the finish him.

Bill placed his own stake against the blonde vampire's back.

"He dies, we die, if we take him back alive, there's a chance we don't have to die" Bill growled to the vampire.

"Unlikely" Eric growled back, his eyes still on Russel.

"But not impossible" Bill told him.

Carla growled at Bill, warning him that if he harmed Eric, he would be next.

It earned her an intense glance.

"Maybe you're ready to die, maybe you're bored after a thousand years, but you do not make that decision for me" Bill assured him.

Eric finished his growling, putting his fangs away.

Russel had a look on his face, as if he had won.

Carla morphed back to her human form mere moments before a team of black riot suited vampires shot into the room.

"Freeze!" Their leader ordered, with many lasers from their guns now flicking around on Russel's chest. "We will take over from here" The vampire told them. Russel slowly raised his hands in surrender.

The soldiers cuffed Russel in silver, about to walk him out.

Carla stepped back into the room, standing next to Sookie.

"Are you hurt?" Carla whispered to Sookie, who looked back at her and then down at her own body.

"No, I don't think so" Sookie said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Russel was being led out of the room by two vampires, one either side, their guns handy, held to his back.

He pulled away from them as he walked past the squad leader.

"You better hope you are not around when I am fully restored and oh, I will be, 'authority'?" Russel spat on the floor. "What fucking authority do you have? Given to you by what? Lillith? You idiots! You are no better than humans with your absurd magical thinking! There is no Lillith!"

The squad leader propelled his fist into the vampire's face.

"That is blasphemy" he told Russel, a wide grin on his face.

The vampires forced him to continue walking.

"You're worse than humans! You may as well be praying to leprechauns or unicorns or the motherfucking Kardashians!" The vampire continued yelling as he was dragged down the corridor towards the exit of the building.

"Humans are here" The squad leader glanced between the two women present.

"Doug led us here" Sookie corrected him.

Carla looked across at Sookie, giving her a look to silence her.

"We found them in a van outside Shreveport" Bill told the vampire. "We took the van to get here with them in"

"You could have covered that much distance by yourselves much faster, than by driving" The squad leader informed them, as if it was obvious.

"We needed another human because he remembered coming here before, Doug" Bill explained before Eric could open his mouth.

Bill, the expert liar, as always.

"They know too much" the squad leader glanced between them all.

"Nothing that a little glamouring won't take care of" Bill assured him.

"Do it" The leader ordered, leaving the room.

Eric came over to Carla, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Carla" Eric went through the motions, he placed his fingers under her chin, and stroked his thumb across her cheek.

"Yes?" Carla asked, pretending to be under his influence.

"You will forget everything about this night, all of its events, you'll forget everything about me and about Bill, you will leave this place as quickly as you can from the moment I release you, then when you reach your home, you will forget this place and everything about its existence. Do you understand?" Eric asked.

Carla nodded, her vision fixated on his pale eyes. "Of course" She said, sounding empty.

"I love you" He mouthed, blinking down at her.

She didn't react, but sent him a mental message through their link.

'I love you too' it told him.

"Go" He ordered her, and she jogged away down the corridor following his orders, the vampires moved out of the way for her as she made her way out of the building and stopped down the gravel path, hiding in some overgrown bushes by the side of the driveway to wait for Sookie.

Carla kept low and remained out of sight and tried to make very little sound, not wanting to be spotted by the vampires who were guarding their trucks outside the building.

She heard the snap of a twig behind her and swiftly turned her head around to see who was there.

There was no one, just more overgrown bush and scrub and beyond that just indistinguishable darkness.

Carla looked back up the driveway, assuming it was nothing.

Moments later the familiar sound of a vampire in vamp speed shot behind her and she felt a needle enter her neck with a rough sharp scratch.

The plunger on the syringe that was attached to the needle was pressed down just as fast as the needle had pierced her flesh and suddenly, her muscles completely relaxed, unable to function.

Her eyes drooped and her breath escaped from her lungs in a quick sigh.

She fell backwards, onto something cold and only slightly padded, then she felt her feet leave the ground completely as the sound of the vampire's unnatural speed transported her away.

Then her eyes closed and her senses diminished into nothingness as she passed out.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think of the chapter and the fanfic over all, i love to hear all constructive criticism.**

**Thanks for all the continued support and to all those who have already reviewed, followed and favorited this story, all of you are so nice, you make me want to keep writing!**

**So, next chapter we will see another old face from a long time ago now, people have already guessed who it is, so those who haven't can look forward to the surprise :D**

**Just FYI Sookie won't be around for a while, considering where i am taking the story, it was moved away from Bon Temps for the moment, but it won't be long until they are back.**

**+With the addition of the 'mental connection' with Godric which Carla has, it sort of the same as Eric's and Nora's, they have visions of him, he talks to them, but no one else can see him, obviously Eric and Nora can see him, it is sort of like Carla is his progeny, but not quite. Might also make it so she can use his powers, but i don't want to make her too overpowered, so to speak. Regardless let me know what you think, do you think it would be cool if Carla could use Godric's powers from the time he was a druid? Before his turning. Keep in mind his specializations were primary Elements (so casting, like Rob) and Transformation secondary (Carla's main ability). Do you think that Carla having Godric hallucinations is a good addition? They may be few and far between, but i will be sure to use them where i feel necessary.**

**P.S Sorry i was late by a day with the update, i forgot yesterday, thankfully i remembered today though so it's all good, i hope you enjoy the 6000 word chapter and i hope it makes up for it being a day late, if you see any annoying spelling mistakes please do not hesitate to PM me and tell me, i did read through but it is possible i missed a few! **

**Thanks for you continued support again! Have a great day!**

**Until next time,**

**-Shad out :D**


	38. Care to come for a stroll?

**Welcome back! Great to see you! Hope you enjoy reading :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-eight - Care to come for a stroll?

* * *

Carla shuffled onto her back, the soft mattress underneath her supporting her body so she was in complete comfort.

Carla pulled the quilt close to her chest, yawning deeply, still with her eyes closed.

She reached out to pick up her phone and check the time.

But there was nothing there, even the bedside table was gone.

Carla snapped her eyes open.

The ceiling was foreign and unfamiliar.

She sat up straight, only to look straight at a white wall.

Carla turned around, looking around the room.

It was sparsely furnished and lacking of all forms of windows, as well as being completely white.

Carla swung her legs over the side of the bed and pushed herself up onto her feet.

Where the hell was she?

She took a moment to think and remember the last thing that had happened.

The asylum, finding Russel with the others, then the vampire SWAT team arrived and Eric pretended to glamour her, she walked out of the building, down the driveway.

Then nothing.

Carla sighed, something must have happened, she couldn't remember.

She wandered over to the door of the room, and wrapped her hand around the door knob.

She tried to turn it, to push the door open.

It didn't budge.

So, what did she do now?

Carla turned around and looked into the corners of the room.

There was a dome like shape attached to the ceiling. She could faintly see the small glass lens inside, turned to her, watching her.

Carla sighed.

"So what is this? Hmm? You're watching me? How cowardly" Carla wandered closer to the camera.

"Well, your prisoner is awake, is there anything you want to tell her?" Carla asked, placing her hands on her hips.

As if on cue, the door behind her made a loud snapping sound as it demagnetized from the door frame and swung open.

A man stepped inside, one she had not expected to see so soon, or at all.

"Hello, Carla" Clive's voice was even lower than she remembered, gruff and gravelly.

Carla's jaw locked, she had a hard time stopping herself from immediately attacking the man.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to take you back to the barrier, on the contrary, we are closer to Bon Temps than you think. New Orleans"

"What, the fuck, am I doing here? Or better yet, what are you doing here?" Carla asked after a few seconds.

"You're here by the grace of Lilith and my lady Salome, we need you, we have tried long and hard to bring about the second coming of the progenitor and we need you to hurry it along, dear wife" Clive explained, swinging the door closed behind him, it magnetized again.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Carla asked, looking up and down the man, his eyes were wider than they used to be.

"I'm talking about the resurrection of the lord, Lilith. Salome knows that we are the key, our blood, it's special, it holds the key to resurrecting her and ushering in a new age of vampire supremacy and we will stand with them, we will be the creators of the new world, the resurrectors of a god" Clive explained, completely insane, his mind was broken, something had pushed him over the edge and it was now inhabiting his broken mind and causing this lunacy he was spewing.

"The lord? What do you mean? Clive, what's happened to you?" Carla asked, looking the man up and down, he began to pace back and forth in front of her.

"Don't you understand!" Clive shot towards her, pinning her back against the wall.

She grabbed him by the wrist and twisted.

He hissed and withdrew.

"Oh, I understand, I understand that you've lost your fucking mind!" Carla growled. "Rob told me you were dead, he thought I had killed you, explain!" She demanded.

He laughed.

"I sold you and your vampire out to Russel, I told him all about you, what you are and after I found out Northman had killed Talbot, well, I was willing to jump right in and save the day. I tracked his scent back to that bar, 'Fangtasia' and I told Russel exactly where to find him, not only was he pleased with my work, he told me to find him two nights later for my reward, after he had disposed of you all" Clive explained, his face red and his skin moist with sweat as if it was boiling in the room, when it was very cool.

"But what did I find when I came back to Fangtasia, where he told me to meet him? A van driving away, so, of course, I followed and I saw Northman, burying Russel under cement. That was where I met my lady Salome, she told me Russel's hour would come and that leaving him in the ground would be the best choice for now, we spent a year waiting for the right time" Clive grinned manically, a gesture that reminded her of Russel.

"And now it has come" Clive's grin grew even wider, which Carla didn't think was possible.

"Not only will the new world begin, it will be led by the Lilith herself" Carla took a step backwards.

"Praise her" He muttered to himself, now looking up towards the ceiling as if he was addressing some all-knowing heavenly force.

Carla stepped back again.

"What do you want with me?" She asked, unsure of what he actually wanted, as his insane ravings were making very little sense to her.

"Oh" Clive looked back down to her, frowning in mock hurt. "Poor Carla, all I want from you my dear is your blood, you see, I am going to be the vessel, and you, my dear, will be the one who gives the vessel the energy it needs to become Lilith herself!"

"What the hell has happened to you Clive?" Carla asked, looking the man up and down, with a worried look on her face.

"Revelation" the man raised his hands to the sky, as if praising some lord who had blessed him with such knowledge.

Carla was speechless, he was truly broken, and something had snapped his mind and created this monster before her, her son, Eric, was right, he was sick.

"Come with me, I must show you to Lady Salome, she will be so pleased to see you awake" Clive snatched her wrist, pulling something out of his back pocket, a pair of handcuffs.

Carla didn't have time to snatch her hands away, as he slapped them on faster than she could see, he must have had vampire blood, a lot of it.

He wrapped his hand around the links between both cuffs and yanked her forward, forcing her legs to respond or be thrown to the floor.

So many questions were running through her head.

Who was 'Lady Salome'? Where the hell was she? Yeah, Clive had said New Orleans, but where exactly in New Orleans? Did Eric know she was here? Was he here as well? Was he even alive? What about Sookie? Was she safe?

Gods knew.

After a long few minutes of being dragged quickly down corridors, past some silver holding cells, many sets of vampire guards and more white washed walls and furniture, Clive took the last stride around the corner, before pushing her back.

He forced his body next to hers and cupped his hand over her mouth.

"Never, you bible banging cunts." The gravelly voice that was so familiar and heart melting to her growled from within the room.

Carla's eyes widened and she tensed her muscles.

Eric! He was here! He was alive!

She was about to fling Clive's body away from her.

Clive raised his other hand from behind his back, laying a sharp metal shiv against her throat.

She looked down into the man's eyes.

He pressed it into her neck, close to breaking the skin.

Carla relaxed her muscles and remained quiet.

'Good girl' Clive mouthed.

"And you, Mr Compton?" A woman asked.

Bill was here too? Was this the vampire authority? Just maybe it was.

"I still believe that without peaceful co-existence between our two species, neither species will survive, mainstreaming is the only way" He explained, there was an awkward silence in the room, all of the people within seemed to be unsure of what to say next.

There was a short sigh let out by one of the occupants.

After a long pause in which you could feel the tenseness in the air, the same woman spoke up.

"There will be a ceremony tomorrow night, an initiation of sorts. I still would like to give you the option to participate" She explained, sounding full of authority and power.

She sounded much like a politician.

"Thank you Salome, you've shown great mercy" A more desperate and quaking voice replied, as if she had been holding her breath until that moment.

"No, Lilith has shown her mercy" The woman called Salome proclaimed.

"Hell yes… she has" Russels voice, it appeared that Eric had not been completely successful in his plan to end the vampire.

She couldn't say she was very surprised.

"Tomorrow night then?" Salome asked Bill and Eric, or so she assumed, as she could not see anything.

"Yes…" Bill replied.

"'Till tomorrow" Eric's calm voice added.

She heard footsteps from within the room and then the two of them walked around to corner and down the corridor opposite, their backs moving away from her.

Carla desperately tried to send a mental message to Eric, surely he could feel her?

Eric raised a hand and cupped it over his forehead, still moving away.

Their bond was not strong enough or he was too far away from her, or maybe the fact that Clive was practically laying on top of her was blocking the signal?

Fuck! Carla thought.

Clive waited for the two vampires to disappear down the corridor, then he slowly lowered the knife.

He sheathed it behind his back and straightened his shirt down.

Carla still had her eyes locked on where Eric and Bill had disappeared.

Clive pulled her head back to face him.

"Don't pine for him, you won't have long to, I promise you, it won't hurt for long and then this will all be over, for the new world" Clive smiled at her, his eyes full of madness but his words full of sincerity.

He grabbed Carla's wrist and yanked her into the room.

Carla's eyes met with Russel's, they then drifted to those of Eric's sister, Nora and then the only woman in the room she did not recognise, she assumed this was Salome.

"Lady Salome, I brought her to you, as you requested, when she awoke" Clive bowed low, down on his knees in front of the vampire.

"Ahh, yes, thank you Clive" The vampire smiled, she was wearing a tight black dress, with a low V-neck and high heels, the dress ended just above the knee. Around her neck was a curious looking pendant, like a golden spider with red gems encrusted in its surface.

"Oh how the tables do turn, my dear" Russel commented, looking at Carla.

Carla turned her eyes to the vampire.

"I could say the same about you, change with the wind, do we?" Carla growled back.

Russel chuckled. "Not quite, but I do wonder how long it will take for Mr Northman to change his tune, now he, my dear, is more of an opportunist that I will ever be" He taunted her.

Carla raised one of her legs, which were unbound and attempted to roundhouse kick Russel in the face.

He grabbed her ankle in mid-air, twisting it around, and with the pure power of it, the rest of her body spun.

She used this momentum and flung her other leg over the top, smashing the vampire in the nose, causing him to drop her foot in shock.

She landed on her side, unable to stop her fall as her hands were tied.

He recoiled back, holding his broken nose, which was shown by the two trails of blood that ran from it.

Clive grabbed her from behind, holding his arm around her throat, he pulled the shiv back out and dragged it across her shoulder, drawing blood.

Carla cried out in pain and the sheer depth of the cut.

"How dare you strike our vampire overlords! We are but servants to them until we bring about the resurrection, treat them with your utmost respect!" He growled into her ear, sounding nothing like the Clive she knew.

Carla stared into Russel's eyes, as he only just managed to control his three millennium old power and his lust for revenge for what little she had done to him both now and over a year ago.

"Do not think of doing it again" Clive warned.

"Clive, do leave the girl alone, she's probably still recovering from the Etorphine" Salome requested.

Clive released her almost instantly.

"I wish to speak to the girl, leave us" Salome ordered.

The other three left, Russel now wiping the blood away from his nose with a handkerchief, the break having healed quickly, but the blood lingering.

Salome perched on the corner of an old looking sofa which was still in excellent condition, as if it had barely been used in its long existence.

"Please, sit" Salome offered, patting a place on the sofa next to her.

Carla didn't move, she looked around the room, walking away from the woman.

"I am sorry to drag you here against your will, but we needed you for something… very important and we just couldn't afford you running away if we asked" The woman offered as a form of apology for drugging her and then bringing her to an unknown place to be kept prisoner.

"Of course, simply asking is boring and old fashioned, kidnapping and drugging are much more popular and modern" Carla joked.

Salome made a sad smile.

"No doubt Clive as explained why you are here?" Salome asked.

"Some babbling nonsense about a resurrection of a god named Lilith and that he is the vessel and I will give him the energy he needs to become her?" Carla asked, crossing her arms in front of herself.

"Yes, well, in his words, in my words, what will happen is; we will drain Clive of his blood, then with the right amount of your blood and the blood of Lilith, which this authority holds in a vault, to protect it, Clive will become Lilith herself" Salome explained, so sure she was right.

"It won't work" Carla assured her. "Do you not understand? We do not become exactly who we drink from, we are not the same consciousness, we are only a copy with the physical capabilities and, from what I have seen, we develop psychic links with vampires. But apart from that, they are still separate" Carla explained.

"But that is it, Clive will link with Lilith herself, then he will be able to channel her very being and consciousness into himself. Lilith is dead, she does not have a physical form, so with Clive having her blood inside him, she will be able to inhabit his body" Salome explained.

Carla shook her head.

"Don't worry, we will not need you for long. I assure you, it will be over very soon and then you will be free to go, I promise you"

"And what if I want to go now?" Carla asked.

"That cannot be allowed" Salome sighed. "I was hoping that I would not come to this, as I assure you that we are not here to harm you seriously, but, I have unparalleled access to Eric and I will be forced to harm if you do not comply"

"Strange, you seemed pretty sure that you wanted him on your side, from what I heard?" Carla asked, calling her bluff.

"Alas, that is only for Nora. She aided me greatly with my plans and so I am paying her back with giving Eric a chance to be a part of something bigger" Salome admitted. "But he is, shall we say… disposable"

Carla wasn't sure if she was being honest or if she was simply forcing her to bend to her will and be a part of these vampire experiments.

But she was sure, however, that she could not allow any harm to come to Eric as a fault of hers, not even if it was unlikely that Salome would. Considering how broken she had felt when she thought that Eric was moving away to run from the Authority, she didn't know how terrible she would feel if he actually met the true death.

"Fine" Carla said, agreeing to go along with the vampire's wishes, to avoid any harm coming to Eric and hinging on the weak promise that she may be set free once they had finished.

"Good to hear it" Salome smiled pleasantly, it was unknown whether it was genuine or sadistic.

* * *

Hours later Carla was sat in the room she had woken up in again, alone, staring intently at the camera that was focused on her, her back to the door.

There was no clock in the room so the hours seemed to blur together. She didn't know if it was day or night, morning or evening, today or tomorrow.

Eric probably didn't even know she was here, he probably thought she was home and safe with Sookie, how wrong he was.

She sighed, pulling her legs close to herself, balling up.

_"Don't doubt Eric... he's been there when you have needed him before"_ Godric's voice sounded in her mind. Carla looked over at his glowing image in the corner of the room, beneath the camera.

Godric was right.

Carla couldn't lose faith, that was the short road to losing your mind.

_"Tell me, did you find your redemption?"_ Carla used her telepathy to ask him, not wanting to speak out loud with the camera's glass eye watching her.

_"Not the kind of redemption I had expected, more peace, a place without pain or regret"_ Godric replied, a passive smile on his face, calm.

_"Life truly is suffering"_ Carla let out a small sigh.

_"That is why you must focus on what makes all the suffering worth it"_ Carla nodded.

Suddenly the door behind her demagnetised and began to open.

She shot up and backed away, her muscles tense ready for what might be on the other side.

A soldier, much like the ones who had come to pick up Russel when they had found him was holding his gun aiming right at her, he took a single shot.

Completely unsuspecting of this, the shot hit her just below her collarbone.

Though it wasn't a normal bullet. She raised her hand and wrapped her fingers around it, pulling it out of her skin.

It was a blow dart, like you see people use on wild animals when they need to sedate them.

The drugs had been dispensed, as the vial attached to the needle was empty.

The drug was a very strong sedative, as it almost instantly kicked in, causing her muscles to relax completely, meaning she fell in a heap on the floor and then her consciousness faded as her eyes blinked shut.

* * *

The whole world was shaking furiously as if there was an earthquake. She felt her relaxed and aching muscles limply refusing to hold onto something for dear life.

Her head was lolling back, not being held up. Carla licked her lips, that were dry as a bone.

She let out a small cough, feeling the life slowly return to her.

"CARLA! WAKE UP!" She heard a voice yelling down to her.

She opened her eyes, only to find Eric's eyes looking straight down into hers.

She pulled her head up to look at him properly, blinking a few times.

"What happened?" She asked him, as if he might know.

Was it all a dream?

Carla glanced around the room, no indeed it was not.

She was still in the room, on the bed, in Eric's arms, he was down on his knees on the mattress.

"I don't know, I found you like this, what're you doing here, are you hurt?" He asked, his eyes running down her body.

Her clothes were stained with blood at the wrists, but she was without injuries.

"No, I must have been healed… How did you find me?" Carla asked, as he still had his strong arms around her, gratitude and hope ran through her.

"I tried to escape, with my sister one of the other vampires here who's not on board. Bill, turns out Bill is a traitor, he turned us into Salome and I was thrown in here, I found you laid out, unconscious" Eric explained.

"Oh, well it seems like there may have been a monumental fuck up. You weren't meant to know i was here, they must have taken my blood while I was out" Carla explained, not wanting to move from his hold and it looked like he wasn't moving soon either.

"Your blood? Why?" Eric asked, obviously completely unknowing of what had been happening.

"Clive is here, him and that woman called Salome are trying to bring about the resurrection of a god called Lilith, with my blood and Clive's body, they think that he will transform into Lilith herself. He's completely off the rails, he thinks that when he is close to death itself he will be able to become her" Carla explained, as best she could considering the simple insanity of the claim.

"Lilith…" Eric muttered, deep in thought.

"Who is she?" Carla asked, as Eric placed her back down on the bed, much to Carla's disappointment.

"She's written about in the vampire bible, she's called the progenitor, the first vampire and according to the book she was made in God's image, God being a vampire" Eric explained in short.

"Oh… yes, we have one of those, but not so pretentious" Carla said, speaking about the World Mother, their god, of which their people were fashioned and differentiated.

"These vampires are using Lilith as an excuse to start a full scale civil war with the humans, Bill had a bright idea to bomb all of the true blood factories, now mainstreaming vampires are feeding off humans" Eric added.

"So Bill's off the rails too? Trust the dedicated mainstreamer" Carla sighed. "Wait, you tried to escape, why haven't you been executed?" Carla asked, which was a little blunt, but it was what she would have expected.

"Nora and Bill claim that they will convert me, but I only have a short time to accept Lilith, or the other chancellors will push for my execution" Eric swung his legs over the side of the bed, glancing up at the camera that was intently watching them.

Carla sat next to him.

"Why didn't you try to escape?" Eric asked, looking the woman in the eyes.

"Salome threatened to kill you if I didn't comply" Carla said.

Eric blinked at her, as if he doubted only that would hold her back.

"No doubt after they are finished with me Russel will kill me, he's desperate to settle the score" Carla muttered, feeling the hope she had rekindled while Eric was holding her become sapped away again.

"Carla" Eric scolded, turning his body to place his palm on her cheek, letting it fall from her face slowly before pausing to stroke her lips with his thumb. "Don't be that way, I will do everything in my power to prevent that, and I will meet the true death before I let him harm you" Eric promised her.

Carla let out a small breath of air, lacing her arms under Eric's, as he wrapped his arms around her back, with one of them slowly stroking her hair.

Suddenly the door noisily demagnetised and slid open.

Eric shot up at vamp speed, in sheathing his fangs with a loud click, looking who was standing on the other side.

It was Nora.

She walked him and caught his arm.

"Come brother, it is time" she said in a calm voice, cuffing him in silver, which he didn't resist, as there would be little point.

He grimaced as the silver burnt him.

Carla stood up, moving closer, before noticing the guard standing outside, which his gun aimed straight at her.

"Please… Don't hurt him" Carla begged Nora, who looked up at her and blinked.

"Why would I? I'm saving him" Nora stated, before walking out of the room, her hand on Eric's arm, leading him away.

Eric took a last glance at Carla, winking at her quickly before he disappeared from the doorway and the door closed.

* * *

Carla had no idea how long she had been in that one room, many times she had been tranquilized and taken from the room, only to wake up again on that bed, her clothes covered with blood with no wounds to be found.

This was the norm for an unknowable amount of time, until there was a heavy thumping from the other side of the door.

Instead of the normal crackling and then swoosh of the door opening, it was more like the door was being broken down from the outside.

A large dent formed in the centre of the door and then with one final hit, it flew from its hinges and smashed into the wall opposite, creating a large dent in the concrete, from which debris puffed everywhere in a sooty shower.

Carla sat up from the bed, expecting the shape of Eric to appear on the other side, unfortunately, she was not that lucky.

A shorter, older frame walked in, with its usual casual saunter.

"Well, hello my little kitten, care to come for a stroll?"

Carla's eyes widened.

Oh dear.

* * *

**So who can guess who it is who has come to get Carla? If it's not Eric, then who? :O**

**Please review and tell me what you thought, i love reading all reviews i get and thank you so much to all those who have!**

**I hope those who are reading my fiction are enjoying it and if so please tell me! It's good to know that you are enjoying what i write!**

**I have been watching True Blood and i am very sad that it's now finished for good. :(**

**Though i have now decided where i want Carla to be in the six month gap at the end of the sixth season, so i may soon be finished with this fanfic.**

**Thank you again and have a great day!**

**Until next time, **

**-Shad out ;)**


	39. Positively Fucking Exquisite

**Welcome back! Great to see you, thank for coming back to read and i hope it's worth your while!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirty-nine - Positively Fucking Exquisite

* * *

Carla spat the blood out onto the dusty floor, her back rested against Sookie's beat up car.

"Just get it over with" She said, looking back up into his eyes that danced with madness, with his teeth bared and his knuckles bloody.

"Oh… Sugar lump, just take us to Sookie and it'll all be over" He promised, his voice full of insincerity and maniacal self-righteousness.

"Never" Carla took a deep breath in through her nose, which was pretty much completely mangled, uneven and bloody, like the rest of her face.

He sighed and raised his fist again, powering it into her left cheek bone, cracking it, obviously not using his full strength, blood filled Carla's mouth again and slid down her windpipe before she could spit, causing her to cough it up violently and it ran down her chin and onto her top.

"You know this is all a waste of time, just take us to Sookie and we will let you go, we promise" Steve Newlin said, in his best diplomatic shit faced liar tone.

Carla laughed, though it was painful and caused more blood to run down from her nose.

"If I take you to Sookie, you'll still kill me anyway, so just finish it, this is getting boring" Carla rolled her eyes back into her head, feeling exhausted rather than painful, like her body was already in the process of shutting down and giving in to the unconsciousness which only death would follow, sparing her of the pain she would suffer if she did not pass out.

"This is useless, we'll never find the fairy this way, let's just leave her for dead here and come back tomorrow" Steve offered, trying to persuade his new vampire lover, or so they seemed.

"No, that won't do, she'll know we're after her then" Russel deduced.

There was a noisy clicking from the trees to their left, as a gun cocked.

Carla flicked her eyes open and followed the noise to its source, as did the vampires.

Within a second Russel was gone, then he was back, having pulled Jason, Sookie's brother out of the bushes and disarmed him of his weapons.

Jason reached behind his back, to his belt, as he was in his police uniform where his gun would usually be holstered, but it was empty.

"I think we've just discovered how to get to Miss Stackhouse and her ambrosial blood" Russel chuckled.

Steve had a large grin plastered on his face, coming closer to Jason.

"You won't be able to get anywhere near Sookie, because she's in a place you won't be able to even get in, fanger" Jason snarled, glancing down at Carla, a little worried looking.

"Oh, really? And where might this be?" He asked, catching the man's gaze as he looked away from Carla, putting him under glamour.

Jason you stupid, stupid man, Carla thought, not having enough strength to tell him herself.

"She's just outside of town, with the fairies, in their night club" Jason explained, his tongue loose and willing to give up its secrets.

"Fairy night club?" Steve commented, obviously slightly surprised by this.

"Oooh" Russel licked his lips, as if savouring the blood he would soon be able to taste.

"Could you take us there?" Russel asked Jason.

"Sure thing, it'd be my pleasure" Jason nodded, smiling at the vampire.

"Stay like that until we get there, then" Russel ordered.

"Of course" Jason turned on his heel and began to walk back towards the woods, maybe where he had left his car.

Russel came back to where Carla was still in a heap, blood beginning to congeal on her face.

"You better come with us, kitten, I might need you to bargain" Russel smiled, grabbing a handful of Carla's shirt and yanking her to her feet.

Carla staggered but caught her footing, knowing that he wouldn't support her and that if she lagged behind he may become bored of her and simply finish her off.

She made sure to keep in step with them until she was forced into the back of Jason's squad car next to Steve, with the other two in the front.

* * *

A few minutes later, Jason pulled up in a large field, more like a meadow, it was filled with different types of grasses and bordered by low trees with large canopies that looked very old.

Jason and Russel stepped out of the car as soon as the engine died and Russel turned around to open the back door, as all squad cars had a child lock on the back doors to prevent prisoners that may be on the back seats from escaping.

Russel used his vamp speed to run around the other side of the car and fling open the door, he pulled Carla out.

She didn't have time to step out and so fell on to the floor.

Thankfully it was slightly more cushioned, with all the long grass that covered it.

"Get up" He ordered, pulling her up with one hand under her arm, walking into the centre of the field.

Jason was next to him.

"Where are they?" He asked, taking a deep inhale.

Steve was now sniffing the air repeatedly, there was a loud snap as their fangs emerged.

"Right there" Jason pointed forward, into the empty space.

Even Carla was a little confused.

There was nothing there? Fairy magic?

Russel dropped Carla and she fell to her knees, having lost a lot of blood from her beating, her legs were weak, achy and unresponsive.

Russel shot forward, toward where Jason was pointing.

The vampire took in a long and deep inhale of breath through his nose.

"Oh my god, what is that smell?" Steve finally spoke up, letting out a short moan, as if the smell itself was arousing him.

Russel let out a low growl, as if the smell was intensifying the closer he got to the space.

"Fairies!" He bellowed, shooting across to the other end of the field, but turning around and shooting to the other edge, trying to pinpoint the entrance from where the smell was emanating.

"Sookie…! Do not…! Come out…! Whatever happens…!" Carla managed to yell, taking in breaths to avoid letting out pained groans, multiple bones in her face must have been shattered, considering the immense amount of pain she was suffering from just using the muscles in her face to speak.

"...Carla, don't you dare die on me! We'll save you, any moment now I promise!" Sookie's voice sounded in her mind, showing that she indeed was inside the fairy club.

Moment after she finished, Russel rushed over to her and picked her up by her throat, pulling her up on her feet his hand wedged tightly around her throat.

"Sookie Stackhouse! Come out right this moment! Or I'll start by killing your delightful druid friend and then your dullard brother!" He threatened.

Carla raised her hand, snatching his wrist to try and pull it away from herself, but he was simply to strong for her.

Carla choked, wheezing to bring oxygen to her lungs, though it was not enough and her head began to hurt due to the lack of the vital gas.

"Don't! Sook…" Carla wheezed, desperately trying to get air into her, though it was denied by Russel tightening grip. "...Sookie... Do not... Come out..." Carla projected with her mind, her brain slowly shutting down making her unable to even communicate mentally.

Suddenly she was dropped, she fell backwards onto her backside, coughing and gasping painfully, oxygen finally getting into her body.

When she glanced up, Russel had turned around and was staring at a beautiful woman with long brown curly hair and a crimped blue dress which was shiny and had a jagged cut at its ends. An elaborate blue necklace was around her neck and was so large and extravagant that it almost covered the cleavage space that the dress left free.

Steve shot towards her from where he had been breathing in the air, drawn in by her smell, he couldn't resist, the fairy raised her hand and within an instant Steve was thrown away by a bright white light which ran all over his body, he landed many metres away behind the car.

With Jason still next to him, and Carla behind him. Russel gasped as he watched the display of the fairy's power.

"Spectacular, you're quite the specimen" Russel said in a winded voice, licking his lips.

The fairy brought her hands together, producing a ball of light energy.

"Vampire… I banish the, unholy abomination, from our place of solitude!" She declared, sending the light towards Russel.

He pulled Jason in front of him at the last minute to avoid the blast, he was thrown back behind the vampire.

The fairy readied another barrage.

"Be gone!" She yelled at the vampire, but within moments he was behind her, instead of hitting him, it slammed into Carla. She pulled her hand up to shield herself, but she didn't need to.

Instead of being thrown back like Jason was, the light entered her body and flashed out the other side, much like the light of the sun, she felt her skin heal over. Having the fairy blood inside her must have given her additional healing capabilities with their light.

Carla saw the vampire drop the fairy's body, having completely drained her. She scattered away into dust as her body vaporized on the ground.

With that much fairy blood in him it would be pointless to use the light she had attained.

Carla saw Russel licking his lips, he proceeded to stagger around.

"Sweet merciful fuck…" He muttered. "That was delicious! Heaven! Thy name is fairy!" He proclaimed, raising his hands up to the sky.

Carla morphed and rushed off towards the closest tree, now being at her full strength again, she could at least try and defeat Russel.

She heard a whooshing behind her and a tight grip with two hands on her back, one towards her tail and the other in the middle of her shoulders, the ground then disappeared and she was thrown backwards.

Carla quickly morphed in her bird form and spread her wings so she was not thrown back to far.

She flapped furiously towards the tree, trying to get a makeshift stake.

Suddenly she felt a weight on her back and her wings being pulled back.

Carla morphed again, this time into a form she had less control over, Eric.

Russel was to surprised to stop her and she swung around, grabbing his wrist with one hand and powering them down into the ground, Russel first.

They slammed into the ground, causing an elongated crater.

Carla shot up, closing the gap between her and the tree in an instant. She jumped up and grabbed a low hanging branch sturdy enough to be a stake, and she snapped one end into a pointed edge.

Russel was then upon her again, pushing the stake out of her hand and planting his boot in her chest, which sent her flying backwards.

She was winded and morphed back into her normal form, taking in deep breaths.

She had been pushed back a considerable distance, she tried to get up from the floor and fight, but she was too slow for Russel's superior speed.

She was on her again in less than seconds, his hand around her throat, pushing her into the ground.

Carla grabbed his arm, using all her might to push him away.

"Just fucking finish it you old homicidal cunt!" she yelled in his face with her last ounce of breath and strength.

Russel laughed, showing off his bloodied fangs.

"Ciao, Kitty coo" He tightened his grip, crushing her trachea.

Within a moment a long spiked stick, the one she had been holding a few moments ago in fact, was thrust through Russel's chest. He turned his head to look at his attacker.

Eric was stood there, his hand still tightly wrapped around the stake that was inside the ancient vampire.

"Goodbye, old friend" He muttered and red lines appeared in the vampire's skin, before becoming golden and then bursting into a shower of goo, blood and fleshy chunks.

Carla's chest, neck and lower face were covered.

Eric had his fangs extended and threw the makeshift stake down into the vampire's remains.

"Well that felt positively fucking exquisite" He grinned down at her, offering her his hand.

She took it, pulling herself up, only realising how close she was too him when she was standing.

She laced her hands around him, holding him tightly.

"Thank fuck, Eric" She gasped, resting her head on his chest.

"Thank you, Carla, you brought me here, your fear, though I may rarely feel it, was very useful" Eric leaned down a laid a kiss on her forehead.

Carla looked up at him.

"You're welcome" She smiled.

There was a strange sound and both of them turned to look at the source, as Sookie stepped out from the nothingness that was in front of them and ran towards her.

"Carla!" She yelled, running towards her. "It's so great to see you, I was so worried, and I'd give you a hug, but..." she indicated the blood.

"It's fine, save that for later" Carla told her, Sookie smiled, relieved.

"Jason!" Sookie thought out loud.

She rushed off towards where Jason had been flung.

Carla followed, glancing around to see no sign of Steve. He must have ran when Russel was killed.

Eric and Nora vamped towards them from behind, causing the two women to swing around.

"Do not! Eat them!" Eric warned, his voice loud and booming.

Carla gave the woman a dead look.

"What the hell happened, weren't you a fanatic?" Carla asked.

"But I want her! Oooh… But… she's smells delectable! How did I not smell her back at the authority!" Nora's voice was desperate and hungry as she referred to Sookie and Carla's smell, as they both had fairy blood.

Eric pulled his sister back to face him.

"Father would not be pleased with this rampant exhibition of lack of self-control" Eric scolded her.

Carla placed her hands on her hips, waiting for them to sort things out in their brother-sister way.

She turned around to see Jason raise his head, looking a little out of it.

"Momma?" He asked, looking up at Sookie with a confused look on his face.

"No… Jason, it's me, your sister, Sookie" she tried to explain.

"We better get him back to the house, he's probably got a touch of concussion" Carla told her.

Sookie nodded.

"Yeah, help me with him" She linked her shoulder under Jason's, helping him up.

Carla did the same, helping to get them back to his car.

"Where will you be?" Carla asked, pausing in front of Eric and his sister.

"Same old Fangtasia" He told her.

"I'll find you there then, once I'm done"

"Very well" He winked.

Sookie and Carla turned, heading for Jason's squad car.

* * *

When they returned home, Sookie and Carla sat Jason down in the single sofa in the lounge and Sookie went to go and get a cold compress for his head.

Carla proceeded to strip all of her clothes off and bin them considering the sheer amount of blood on them it would never be possible to wash it out.

Both hers and Russel's.

She sat in the shower for half an hour washing the blood out of her hair and from her skin making sure it was completely gone, having the constant feeling there was blood in her hair and on her body was bothering her greatly.

She quickly dried herself off and pulled on a pair of tight skinny jeans in black and a vest and leather jacket off the same colour, going for the Eric look.

She towel dried her hair as best she could and made her way down stairs, about to go and see Eric.

Only to find him standing in the lounge with Tara and Nora beside him.

"What's happening?" Carla asked.

They looked over their shoulders at her. She walked around to see Sookie sitting opposite Jason.

"We're going back into the authority" Eric told her.

"Why?" Carla asked. Knowing she needed to go back into the authority, but not knowing why they needed to.

"They took Pam" Tara told her.

"And we need to get Bill out of there, before he completely loses it" Eric explained.

"Right, then I'll be coming too" Carla said outright.

"Are you sure that's the best idea? Considering the past few days..." Eric added.

"I am well aware of my limitations and when I have reached them, as it is, I am still well away from them" Carla muttered.

Eric sighed, but accepted her answer, knowing he would not be able to change her mind.

"There's no way you're taking my baby sister into a den full of vampires, not a chance in hell" Jason announced, glancing up at Eric, then looking at Sookie.

"Jason, I can make my own decisions" Sookie fought back.

"Sookie, what the hell are you thinking, you ought to tell all these dead fucks to go back to hell where they came from!" He ordered her almost.

Eric chuckled.

Jason turned his head, stiffening his shoulders.

"Is there something funny? Fanger?" He asked Eric.

"Yes, actually, blood bag" He answered.

"Leach" Jason retaliated.

"Breather" Eric bit back.

"Dead fuck"

"Could both of you stop acting like prepubescent imbeciles please" Carla shouted over the two of them, staring furiously at Eric, he returned her gaze and nodded in submission.

Jason was simply silent.

"Why do you need me exactly?" Sookie asked, confused about why they were asking her to come to.

"If anyone, at all, can get to through to Bill, it'll be you" Eric told her.

Sookie took a moment to think.

"Okay" She told Eric.

"Sook! What the hell are you doing?" Jason asked.

"Don't you want to save Jessica?" She asked him.

He also took a moment.

"Fine, but I'm coming with you" Jason stood up, putting his foot down.

"Oh… sweetie, please don't be a fool" Eric muttered, rolling his eyes at Jason.

"If I want to be a fool, I will be a damn fool, it is my god given right as an American citizen!" Jason told the vampire, getting close up to him, trying to be threatening, though Eric didn't even react to his approaches, blinking slowly and calmly.

"Then I will not be responsible for cleaning up your muck" Eric mocked the man, he just made an incredibly pissed off face, his shoulders rigid, trying to be threatening. Eric had a talent of always being the most superior male in the room. Carla didn't know if it was acquired from experience, or simply came naturally. "It'll be dawn soon, we have three coffins for us and we commandeered and vehicle on the way here, you just need to do the driving in the day and we'll get there by tomorrow night" He explained.

"Okay" Carla nodded.

"We need to go to ground, the sun will be up in an hour and you need to get driving" Eric told them.

Carla followed the vampires outside and saw the large pick up they had 'commandeered'.

It had three small coffins in the back that were thin and white.

The vampires made their way inside each of them as they waited for Jason and Sookie to get ready.

Once Nora and Pam were safely inside their coffins and on the back of the truck, Eric opened his one, ready to get inside.

He turned around to face Carla before he got in.

"We may not survive this" Eric said.

"Of course we will, this is you Eric, you never give up, you fight and you survive" Carla smiled.

Eric smiled back, stepping closer to her.

She had her arms crossed in front of her and Eric placed his hands on her upper arms, squeezing her gently.

He raised his hand up to her cheek and stroked it softly.

"I want you to know, if we don't make it, somehow, I care about you, a lot" He explained.

"You mean… you love me?" She asked, shuffling closer to him, lifting up his arms and joining her hands around his neck.

"Yes… I love you, Carla" He said, in a low husky voice.

She went on tip toes, moving her face closer to his.

He lowered his head to close the gap, and placed his lips on hers.

She tilted her head to the side, kissing him gently, pulling away with each peck to tease him.

The hand that had been on her cheek moved to the back of her head and he held her in a long kiss, before he slipped his tongue into her mouth, skating it across her teeth and then slipping it back out.

Carla bit down on his bottom lip gently, pulling away and dragging his lip with it, before letting it go.

He let out a low pitched moan of pleasure.

Carla couldn't help but smile cheekily at the vampire.

"Then, Eric, I love you too" Carla replied.

He smiled widely back at her, she could feel his arousal next to her with their bodies pressing together.

He lowered his lips to her ear.

"You better stop being such a tease, otherwise I'll take you right here" He growled sexually.

Her heart skipped a beat at this, and a shiver ran down her spine of pleasure as her own body became aroused.

"But Sookie might find us" Carla said, feigning worry.

"I don't even care" He replied.

Carla bit down on her lip.

His hand made its way down to her chest, and cupped around her breast, softly caressing it.

"Eric…" Carla gasped, his touch alone making her almost lose her mind, it had been too long, she didn't realise how desperate she was until she was with him again.

The front door of the house opened noisily, breaking up their embrace.

"Let's get going" Jason shouted, stepping out onto the porch and taking the two steps in one, his shotgun and handgun he had from early back in his hands.

He was still in his uniform, so they were likely stopping off at his house before they continued to New Orleans.

Eric stepped back away from Carla, getting into his coffin, their peace disturbed.

"Night, Lover" He said, pulling the lid shut on his coffin.

"Night" Carla answered, even though the lid was closed, she got onto the back of the truck and pulled a large canvas drape which they had in the van to cover the coffins, obscuring their cargo.

Jason said nothing, he just walked around the van to the driver's seat, turning the key in the ignition.

Carla waited for Sookie to come out, which only took a few moments after the engine was started, probably knowing it was Jason's way of saying it was time to go, hurry up.

Carla let Sookie take the middle seat, considering that Jason had seemed to become a lot more racist towards vampires since she had left.

Carla rested her head against the window of the car, the other two occupants were strangely quiet, so she decided to try and get some rest.

* * *

The van shunted to a halt, waking Carla up abruptly.

She took a moment to blink quickly, bringing her vision into focus.

She let out a large yawn and looked to her side, to see Jason pulling the key out of the ignition and opening his door, stepping out.

He was now wearing mostly black clothing, with a black beanie.

Carla then moved her gaze to Sookie, who was looking straight back at her.

"What's he doing?" She asked, confused.

"We're stopping here to grab some weapons, it's a shop for personal protection against supes, the police raided it while you were gone, so he has the keys, it's a long story" Sookie explained.

Carla shrugged.

"Cool, we could use some weapons anyway" She decided, pushing her door open and getting out, Sookie followed her shortly.

They found Jason pulling up the canvas on the coffins, reaching into the gap between the three of them and pulling out three large black gym bags.

He chucked one at Carla and then one at Sookie, heading to the door of the building they had parked next too.

They managed to grab them out of the air, and join him at the door.

"Jason, you should probably be more careful with our cargo, now a days people may get a bit edgy if they knew we had vampires in the back of our truck" Sookie said, as Jason tried to pick out the right key on the large bunch he was holding.

"I don't care Sookie, if someone wants to fry those fuckers they're more than welcome" He hissed back, pushing the right key into the lock.

"Jason! That's Tara you're talking about!" Sookie warned, her tone threatening.

"That's not Tara anymore, that's a heartless bloodthirsty monster" Jason explained, looking Sookie in the eye. "Nothing more"

"You can't be serious? Is that all Jessica is to you? A monster?" Sookie asked.

Carla kept out of it, their brother-sister argument was hardly something for her to dip her oar in.

Jason pushed the door open, taking his keys back out of the lock, they followed him inside.

"She made me turn against my best friend, so yes, she is a fucking monster" Jason growled, heading over to a glass cabinet with many wooden stakes inside.

Carla walked around the other side of the shop, towards a pair of weapons she thought would suit her.

She reached up and took them down from their small hooks on the wall.

They were two short kris' with leather bound handles, and an edge of silver that had been melted onto the blade.

They were typical of a normal kris, an elongated wavy blade which ended in a sharp point, it looked like it had barely been touched.

Carla tied the lace which was attached to the sheath of each blade around her waist, moving onto the stock of guns which was on the other side of the room.

She walked in on a conversation that Jason was having with Sookie on that side of the room, as he packed the bags with weapons.

"… So if I have to kill Bill tonight, or any of the rest of them, I will…" Jason trailed off.

"Not if I kill you first" Carla muttered, walking around the counter and leaning down to fish out the few pistols which were left.

"Carla!" Sookie was surprised.

"You'll be next on my list if you don't watch out!" Jason replied.

"Jason, you have to realise that not all vampires are the same, they are just like humans in the sense that some of them are good, some of them are bad and some of them are stir fry crazy" Carla began. "If I discover that you have been shooting any other vampires than authority members tonight, there will be hell to pay, I promise you, so before you pull that trigger, you better know who's on the end of it, and the repercussions that will arise if you do the deed" Carla looked the man right in the eye.

Jason simply nodded, shoving the pistols he was holding into the gym bags, along with a small crossbow with its wooden tipped bolts.

Carla whirled around, noticing a large shotgun on the rack behind her, she pulled it down, along with three boxes of ammo into the gym bag she had in her hands.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed, please leave a review and let me know if you did, as usual, i look forward to hearing from you and thanks to all those who are reading my Fanfiction and those who have already reviewed and shown their enjoyment of the content, please feel free to review whether you have already or not, i always like to hear your feedback.**

**Thanks for reading my story! :3**

**And thanks for almost 145 follows! Love you guys!**

**Have a great day!**

**See you soon,**

**-Shad out.**


	40. The Authority

**Welcome back, here it is, the end of the season five and a little from the start of season six, i am moving along quickly with this but i may take a little while so i can decide where i want Carla to go for the six month period which the show skips.**

**Don't worry though, i will make sure not to keep you guys waiting too long! The chapters will continue as normal, unless i am constricted by college or real life commitments, which hopefully i won't!**

**Hope you enjoy, thanks for your time. ;)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty - The Authority

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Back in the car, they had been driving for the rest of the daylight and now the sun had gone down.

They passed a large sign which informed them that they were now entering New Orleans.

Eric popped his head down in the driver's side window.

"Pull over" He ordered Jason, who almost jumped out of his skin, but did so none the less at the side of the road.

They unloaded the coffins at the side of the road, under some trees and foliage.

Jason, Sookie and Tara sat in the back of the truck, all gagged and placed their hands behind their backs, as if they were bound.

Eric drove, with Nora in the passenger seat.

Carla, however, would not be able to sit in the back, if she was seen on one of the cameras before they managed to get inside the building, they would most likely be denied entry, especially if she was traveling with Eric.

And so, Eric's bright idea was to have her cling to the undercarriage of the car, pulling herself up from the road, so she would not be seen, and keep her breathing to an absolute minimum.

She would get him back for this, somehow, someway, though it was a good plan to not get detected, it was still uncomfortable and extremely risky.

As they pulled up to the gates, a guard met them there, gun in hand.

Eric slowed the car down.

"Hello chancellors, we weren't expecting you back so early" The guard commented.

"Yes well, we are back to meet with the other chancellors, is there a problem?" Eric asked calmly.

"Yes, we have had a breach, I'm going to have to call this in" The guard explained. "I have chancellors Northman and Gainesborough here requesting entry" He spoke into his radio.

"What's your cargo?" The man then asked, obvious having seen the others in the back of the truck.

"The vampire's a mainstreaming spy, the humans are lunch" Eric explained quickly, quite convincing.

"The blonde smells great" The guard commented on Sookies potent scent.

"Yes, she is, she's also mine" He growled at the guard.

"We're just trying to find a chancellor to okay this" The guard said, remaining professional even with Eric snarling at him.

"Okay, you've been permitted" He said, letting them through.

"Thank you" Eric said, revving up the truck to continue on.

Carla's muscles were beginning to ache a little and she was happy when they pulled the truck to a stop.

Moments later, they and the gym bags were in the large elevator heading down into the base.

Carla already had her kris' attached to her, with four sets of pistols attached to her belt and a pair in her hands.

"Everyone better know what they are doing" Jason growled, glancing around the people in the elevator.

Carla had been given something to do, which was help Jason secure the elevator room and the reception.

She did not intend to do this in the slightest.

Clive was still here, and he needed to be taken care of. He had completely lost his mind and god knows what they had attempted to do while she was with Russel. She had made a promise to her son.

Carla looked up at Eric, who looked down at her.

"Are you ready?" He asked. She nodded.

She stepped closer and wrapped an arm around him, giving him a small hug.

He rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it softly to comfort her.

Nora grabbed a set of wooden stakes in their sheaths, stepped back to her place.

Carla moved to the front of the elevator, readying both of her guns.

She wouldn't like to admit it, but she knew how to use a gun, too well, since she had been outside the barrier she had turned them on many of those who had been ordered to pursue her.

Eric turned to Tara, who was holding a device that could be used to disable the surveillance equipment in the base.

"Now" he said.

She pressed the large button on the small device.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

Carla raised her weapon and shot directly at the vampire opposite, causing her to splash into goo.

An alarm began to blare and it was obvious she had not been quick enough, the vampire had set off the alarm.

Carla stepped out and twirled around, checking for any other assailants.

She looked at Eric to give him the signal.

"Go" He ordered and Nora and he disappeared off to their assigned areas.

Jason raised his guns and began taking out the cameras in the area to prevent them being seen when the surveillance came back up.

One of the doors next to the elevator was thrown open by vampire troops heading in.

Carla ducked down, taking shots from a lower perspective so she was harder to hit. While Jason took cover behind the desk.

Tara and Sookie then went to go in the same door the vampires had come through, towards the holding cells, while Eric and Nora had gone to the control room.

Carla and Jason were now alone in the reception.

Carla took her chance and concentrated on her bond with Clive, something she hadn't tried to do for more than a year.

She turned towards the corridor she sensed he was down and began walking.

"Carla! Where the fuck are you going!?" Jason shouted from behind his desk cover.

"I'll be back as soon as I can" Carla said simply, heading down the corridor at a fast pace, knowing she didn't have much time.

Before she could turn the corner at the end of the corridor she was following, at least five vampires shot around the corner to intercept her.

Carla raised her hand guns again, taking at least two out with single bullets, but when he pulled the triggers again, there was an unsatisfactory click.

Fuck.

Carla threw them down and reached for her other pair which were attached at the waist, but the vampires had already began firing.

The corridor was narrow, and she didn't have much chance to avoid the oncoming bullets.

Unless.

She ducked down, avoiding the first volley that was spat from their semi-automatic firearms, then she pushed her energy into her legs, reaching for the ceiling, noticing a light fixture that was hanging down.

She swung on it with one hand, reaching for her sheathed pistol with the other, raising it quickly and taking out two of the remaining guards, missing with her final bullet the hitting the vampire in the left shoulder.

He dropped his gun, the feeling of the silver bullet sizzling inside him caused him instinctively to raise hand and cup the wound.

Carla used her free hand to pull out her silver edged kris.

She powered it into the side of the vampire's neck, causing his head to detach from the rest of his body, and dissolve into blood and gloop.

Carla took a moment to get her bearings, before turning right and heading down another long corridor with many clear glass doors on either side.

She heard a door she had just past fly open and she turned on her heel, raising her pistol.

No one was there.

Carla tilted her head to the side, stepping closer to the door slowly.

The lighting within the room was faulty, flickering wildly and randomly, showing the shape of a body that was on the floor of the room, unmoving.

"I can see you, come out, or I'll take my shot" She shouted over the blaring horn which was sounding in the base, making sure that the body was not alive before entering the room.

There was no answer, so Carla walked into the room, making sure to take it slow, just in case.

The body was human and had been almost completely torn apart, its neck was lacking all flesh and spilling blood out onto the floor, slowly.

A distinct maniacal laugh cracked through the air from further along the corridor, or it could have been a loud sob or cry of despair. Carla headed towards it, knowing it must be the person who she was here for.

Turning into the doorway where the laughter had originated, Carla immediately saw Clive, standing in a circle of dead humans, who were all torn into bits.

Carla raised her gun while his back was turned. She didn't hesitate to pull the trigger, unload the rest of her ammo into his back.

He wheeled around, showing his face to her.

His lips were curved down into a frown, his eyes were wide, with pupils like pin pricks, which were now blood red. His skin was drenched in blood, from his hands to his upper arms, all over his face and chest.

"It didn't work, but why? Carla, why didn't it work?" He muttered, the horn in the background cutting out.

Carla noticed his chest was writhing unnaturally, as if he was stuck in mid shift.

Carla threw that gun down and pulled out her last out, raising it again, steadying her aim and then firing, hitting him right between the eyes with the rest of the ammo.

"Why?" He wailed at her, blood running from his eyes, as if gushing. The hole in his forehead sealing up within seconds.

Carla didn't reply, just threw her now empty gun down.

She reached down for her kris', but before she could pull them out, he was on her, pinning her to the floor with his body.

His hand wrapped around her throat.

"What have you done to yourself?! Just look!" Carla shouted in his face, trying to pull his hands away from her neck.

He tightened his grip.

"I didn't do this! You did this!" He shouted down at her, pushing all his weight down on his arms, pressing them into her throat with all his strength.

Carla choked, letting go of his arms and reaching for her kris's again.

She closed her hand around the handles and ripped them from their sheaths.

"You did this Carla! You did this!" He yelled down into her face, his strength much more than anything he used to have. They must have decided to allow him to drink the vampire blood, giving him the power of Lilith, the first vampire ever made and so her powers incomprehensible, if she really was the progenitor.

But his body was in flux, there was something wrong, as if the blood was killing him instead of allowing him to shift.

As if it was not meant to be in his body, but in a different one altogether.

Carla's muscles gave up, starved of oxygen, her arms laid flat on the ground.

He was simply too strong, she couldn't fight him.

"I'm sorry" Carla mouthed, with her last ounce of strength.

She wished things could have turned out differently.

Then, without meaning, Clive let her go. He clutched his chest, as if her were having a heart attack, but much worse.

He let out a blood curdling scream of pain, as if he was in agony and his body began to writhe all over. It started to dissolve, much like a vampire, on top of her he burst into gloop.

Carla didn't have time to close her eyes or her mouth and so a good portion of the blood ran into her mouth and onto her eyes.

She rolled over onto her front, coughing up the liquid, but she was unable to stop some running down her throat.

The effect hit her almost instantly and she groaned in pain loudly as her body felt like it was tearing itself apart. She turned over onto her back again, her muscles refusing to obey her commands.

"Eric!" Carla called out, arching her back as the pain ran down her spin and then straight back up to her head, as if a knife was being ran along her skin up and down her spine, cutting deep into her flesh.

Carla's muscles convulsed violently as if trying to expel the liquid, but she was unable to, as if it had already dug deep into her, refusing to leave.

She couldn't stop herself from screaming out, calling Eric's name, begging that he would be able to find her.

Moments later, Eric shot around the corner, noticing Carla's body, sprawled out on the floor in the doorway of the room at the end of the hall.

He vamped over to her, getting down on one knee.

"Carla? What happened? Are you okay?" He looked down into her eyes, which had rolled to the back of her head, with her body cracking and lurching around uncontrollably.

He laced his arm under her back and the other under her legs, picking her up from the pool of blood and heading back towards the elevator where he had told Sookie to run to while he got Carla.

He arrived at the doors, finding Sookie waiting inside. He stepped in to join her, poking one of his fingers out to jam the button to go back up to the surface.

"Carla?! What happened?" Sookie asked, looking at the druid, in Eric's arms, covered in blood.

"I don't know, but her heart's slowing down, we need to get out of here and I can give her my blood" Eric explained, as the elevator began to ascend.

With a grinding thud the elevator stopped moving, and the lights on the ceiling flickered out.

Sookie raised her hand and used her light to illuminate the elevator.

Eric rested Carla down on the floor and reached up to pull the lights down, throwing them in the corner, then then proceeded to slam his fist into the metal roof of the elevator, trying to break through it.

After a few powerful punches, the metal cracked open and Eric pulled it further apart with his hands so they could escape.

He placed Carla over his shoulder in a fireman's lift and grabbed Sookie around the waist, before taking off up the elevator shaft.

He burst out of the sliding doors at the top of the shaft, and vamped out of the building, only slowing down when he placed Carla down in the back of an enclosed black van, with only seats on either side, as it was used for carrying troops and let Sookie get into the driver's side.

"Drive! Go around the front and pick up the others and then we need to get the hell out of here!" Eric yelled at Sookie, who scrambled to turn the key in the ignition and fire up the engine.

Eric pulled the doors at the back of the van closed, kneeling next to Carla, wrapping his own bloody hand in hers.

He raised his other wrist to his mouth, his fangs emerging, he plunged them into the skin.

He lowered the wound to her mouth, letting the blood run past her lips and down her throat.

Carla retched, arching her back and her eyes flicked open. She screamed in pain, loud cracking and snapping noises coming from her body.

She coughed heavily, bringing Eric's blood back up on the van floor and on her face.

"What's wrong with her?" Sookie asked, swerving around the corner to the front of the building.

"I don't know" Eric shouted over the sound of the engine.

He looked down at Carla, placing a hand on her cheek. She was looking at him, pained look on her face.

"I'm dying, I saw what happened to him, I'm dying and there's nothing I can do about it" Carla groaned out quickly, bloody tears running from the corners of her eyes, her nose and ears, blood pooling around her.

"No! Carla! Don't you fucking dare die on me" Eric picked up her top half, resting her back against his leg, holding her in his lap. "You are not dying here, like this, I will not let you"

He lowered his chin to rest on Carla's head, her head lolling towards him, almost all her strength gone and the pain still firing through her unrelenting.

There was a loud explosion in the background, which indicated that the authority building had exploded and was now engulfed by flames.

Sookie stopped the car suddenly.

"Get in the back!" She ordered to an unseen face.

The back of the van was pulled open and Jason, Pam, Tara, Nora and Jessica got in the back, pulling the doors shut behind them.

"Did Bill make it?" Jessica asked Sookie as soon as the doors were closed. She shook her head and started the engine up again, driving away.

"What's wrong with her?" Nora asked, referring to Carla.

"I don't know, I think she may have swallowed some of Lilith's blood, it's killing her" Eric muttered, pulling his face away from her to look down at her.

Carla coughed weakly, grimacing.

"Suck is out of her then, if you bite her and get the blood out, you don't have to swallow it, just spit it out. Then give her your blood and she'll heal" Nora suggested, looking into Eric's face.

Eric gazed into Carla's half open eyes. He could hear her heart becoming fainter, slowly shutting down in her chest.

Eric produced his fangs, lowering his face to Carla's throat.

He bit down on the flesh over her jugular vein, sucking the blood out of her.

He took a mouthful, and then spat it out on the ground next to him, then went back for more.

It took only a few mouthfuls, he made sure not to take too much.

He then pulled his wrist back up to his mouth, biting the same place he had previously and pressed it to her mouth.

Carla had barely any energy left in her and so his blood just dripped down her throat into her stomach, thankfully she didn't immediately convulse this time.

While they were in the car, speeding away from the authority building the radio in the car was turned on, as it was left on when the car was last turned off.

There was a news bulletin being broadcast about a governor who was announcing new laws for the state of Louisiana.

They all listened carefully and in silence as the governor was broadcasted live on radio, outlining that he was enforcing a curfew on all vampires, meaning they could not be outside after sunset and shutting down all vampire-run businesses in the state as well as revoking any form of rights which vampires may have had.

"It is about time! Someone stood up to you people!" Jason shouted, as the broadcast ended.

Sookie turned her head around, looking away from the road.

"Jason, shut up!" She growled, before turning her attention back to the road.

Carla groaned, blinking quickly and taking another pained cough, she opened her eyes slowly, yawning.

"Carla?" Eric asked quietly, looking down into her eyes.

Carla blinked.

"What happened?" She sat up straight, but then receded back down into Eric's arms, grimacing.

"You were dying Carla, something in your blood, something you had taken, it was as if it was tearing you apart inside" Eric explained.

Carla looked around at the people in the car.

"Wouldn't have happened if you had stuck to the plan!" Jason complained.

"I had to deal with something, something personal" The memories came flooding back. "Clive's dead" Carla said, looking up at Eric.

"What happened?" He asked, still holding on to her.

"When I found him, there was something seriously wrong, his chest, it was as if he was in mid shift, but his body couldn't maintain either his normal form or the one he was attempting to go into." Carla explained. "It was the blood of Lilith, it must have been, he was so strong, I couldn't fight back and then he just, suddenly died, but like a vampire dies"

Eric looking from Carla to Nora and then back again.

"Where's Bill?" Carla asked, looking around, he was not in the van anywhere.

"He drank what was left of the Lilith blood, all of it and then… we watched him die" Eric explained.

"He was dead, just a pool of blood on the floor and then, something else, rose out of it. It wasn't Bill, it was something else, something terrible… Bill's gone" Sookie explained, sounding grim, even saddened.

"The world's about to end and we caused this, we bombed the true blood factories and now we're a very real threat. Plus the second coming of Lilith! We are fucked!" Nora said from the back of the truck.

"If that slimy fucker comes near any of my shit…" Pam muttered referring to the new governor's laws to shut down her business, Fangtasia.

"Will you shut up about your shit when the world is coming to an end!" Nora shouted back at her.

"Honey, I'm not sure about the world, but I am about to end your face!" Pam threatened.

Eric's muscles had slowly been tensing and Carla could feel it, as he was still cradling her in his arms as if she was a fragile ornament that might break if he put her down.

"Stop the car!" Eric ordered and Sookie glanced back over her shoulder to see the sincerity and authority in his eyes. "Now!" He told her.

Sookie slammed on the breaks and everyone was silent.

"Me and Nora need to speak" Eric told them. "Privately" He met everyone's eyes but Carla's.

Nora pushed the back of the truck open and they all filed out.

Eric was last and he carried Carla out with him, before placing her feet on the ground.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking into her face.

"Fine" She assured him, feeling the pavement under her feet and getting used to standing up again, feeling a little dizzy.

"Don't wander off too far" Eric told her, placing a hand on her shoulder and running it up to touch his thumb to her lower jaw, stroking it down her throat.

Carla nodded, watching him vamp away to speak with his sister.

Carla walked over to the water. They had stopped at the entrance to a pier which spanned across Lake Pontchartrain, in New Orleans.

Walking down the beach, she kneeled in the shallow water as it lapped up the sand bank, she leaned down and cupped her hands in the water, splashing it on her face, washing away the blood.

Jessica suddenly vamped next to her, leaning down and doing the same thing, but instead wiping away her blood tears from her face.

"What's wrong?" Carla asked, looking at the vampire.

She took a deep breath.

"Eric and Nora say that they're going to kill Bill, because they think he's god and he's going to destroy the world" He explained. "Or some shit" She added at the end, snivelling.

"And what do you think he is?" Carla asked.

Jessica looked up at her.

"I don't know" Jessica admitted. "I mean he really was acting real crazy back in there, but, he's still my maker and I love him"

"Maybe Bill is God, maybe he's not, maybe he's the same old Bill. You need to trust what you feel, if you think he's still your maker, then you need to trust him and you need to support him, if you think he's a world destroying god, then, well, let Eric and Nora do what they are doing" Carla shrugged.

"But, if Bill's gone, then I'm going to be all alone" Jessica sighed, sitting back on her bum and pulling her legs close to her chest, the water lapping at her shoes.

"Of course you won't be, me and Sookie will always be there for you, that I can promise you" Carla told her.

Jessica smiled.

"Thank you" She leaned across, wrapping her arms around Carla's neck.

Carla hadn't expected her to do this, but she still patted her on the back with one hand.

There was a sudden sting of panic that shot through Carla, from Eric, she knew, as she was completely calm.

Carla shot up and without even realising, she vamped around the edge of the pier and up onto the boards above.

Jessica shortly joined her, along with Sookie behind her.

Sookie made her usual noisy entrance, calling to Jason and asking what he was doing, as he was pointing a gun point blank at Nora's chest. Eric was stood shortly behind.

Before she even realised it, Carla had vamped between the two and snatched the handgun out of Jason's hand, she threw it into the sea.

"Jason, that is enough" Carla growled. Nora stepped forward, about to cause some sort of fight.

Carla turned to face her, raising her finger and wave it at her.

"Don't you start either" Carla warned. Nora withdrew her fangs.

Thankfully that was the last gun that Jason had and he stepped backwards.

"What the fuck is wrong with you! You have lived with my sister for the past year and you're going against her brother? And your own kind?" Jason asked.

"I thought you would have worked out by now, you're not my 'kind' and I am protecting you both, because fighting between ourselves is utterly pointless and the only reason you are acting this way is because you refused to go to hospital to have your concussion treated, you should go home with Sookie and sleep it off" Carla told him, his eyes widened a little as she told him she was not human and then widened a little more as she finished, but Carla was unsure why.

"Come on, Jason" Sookie said, holding out her hand, offering to take him home.

Jason shook his head.

"No… this is fucked, completely fucked!" Jason turned around, running off. Sookie was about to follow, but Tara held her back.

"Let him run it off" She told Sookie, hand on her shoulder.

"Carla…" Nora breathed out, she turned to face her.

"What?" Carla asked, confused.

Eric vamped in front of her.

"You're bleeding"

Carla blinked, not understanding.

"From where? What?" Carla raised her hand to her face.

Blood was running from her nose, quite quickly, in fact, as well as from her eyes.

Carla felt the same dragging pain up and down her spine, this time more intense.

"It's starting again" Carla managed, before bending over and coughing out blood.

She then felt an unnatural pull, like something she had never felt before, instead of the pain disabling her, it was dragging her towards something. She saw a place, Bill's white house, she turned on the spot and her body began walking.

"What's happening?" Sookie asked, confused.

"It's different, something's different" Carla said, not being able to stop herself from walking.

"What's wrong with her?" Tara asked.

Jessica then turned on her heel also.

"Bill's summoning me" Jessica told them, walking in the same direction as Carla.

"I think he's calling me too" Carla said, unable to stop her muscles from taking her towards him.

"Is someone going to try and stop them?!" Sookie shouted.

Eric vamped in front of them both, placing a hand on each of their chest, stopping them from moving.

The bleeding intensified for Carla and the dragging of the knife became more of an intense stabbing all over her body, which then rested on her heart, as if someone's hand was wrapped around the muscle, crushing it in their palm.

Jessica let out a high pitched scream of pain, falling to her knees.

Carla's pain threshold was much higher, but she soon collapsed as well, next to Jessica, joining her in her pained screams.

"Is this normal? What the fuck is going on?!" Sookie shouted over the screams.

"I don't know" Eric admitted.

"I've never seen anything remotely similar" Nora admitted.

"Eric! Let me go!" Carla shouted, writhing on the floor, the pain growing in intensity.

"We need to go, let them go, or they're going to die, do you want that?!" Sookie shouted, staring intensely at Eric.

He shook his head, stepping back.

Carla and Jessica both got to their feet.

"I'm taking them, regardless of if you come or not" Sookie explained, heading to the van, where Jessica and Carla joined her.

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**Hope you enjoyed, looking forward to your feedback, hope to see you in the next chapter!**

**P.S Hooray for 40 chapters! :D**

**Until then, **

**-Shad out.**


	41. Following Your Heart

**Welcome back. :D**

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**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter forty-one - Following Your Heart

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Sookie drove them all the way back from New Orleans, traveling at silly speeds along the parish roads as they got closer to the town.

Pulling up Bill's driveway, Sookie pulled the handbrake up to immobilise the car.

Carla threw herself out of the car, not waiting for the other two. She pushed herself up the steps and into the house, ignoring the bloodied footprints.

"Bill!" Carla shouted, coughing hoarsely.

The vampire appeared at the top of the stairs.

Carla made her way up towards, him, tripping over the last step.

"What's happening to you?" Bill asked, dropping to one knee beside her.

"I… accidentally swallowed some of the blood, the Lilith blood, can you take it out of me?" she asked, almost begged, the pain coming back.

Bill raised his hand, and picked up Carla's wrist, that was lying limply on the ground.

He raised it with one hand, and stroked along the inside of her wrist with the other.

It began to glow slightly, in a blood red colour.

Bill's eyes looked as if he was unsure of what exactly he was doing and that he was following instinct.

Bill's fangs emerged and he lowered them towards her faintly glowing wrist.

Eric then vamped in, calling her name.

Sookie and Jessica were not far behind, staggering into the house to watch the scene.

He rushed up the stairs, a stake in his hand.

Carla raised her other hand, in a stop gesture.

Eric looked down at her and then to Bill.

Bill bit into her wrist, and sucked forcefully at her flesh, the glowing stopped in her arm and instead moved into him, before dissipating.

Carla sighed, the pain in her body evaporating.

Bill raised his face from her skin.

"How did you do that?" Eric asked, looking down at Bill, his eyes slightly wider than usual and his stake still at the ready.

"I… don't even know" Bill admitted, getting to his feet.

Eric offered his hand to Carla and she used it to pull herself up.

Sookie and Jessica, as well as Eric's sister, stood and watched as Carla let go of Eric's hand and stood unaided.

"What are you?" Eric asked, his tone low and imposing.

"I don't know" Bill repeated.

"What do you mean you don't know? You must know!" Eric shouted back.

"I don't…" He muttered, looking from Eric down at Jessica, who was looking up at him nervously. "All I want to do is talk, clearly I am more than Bill Compton, I can see this now, but I still am Bill Compton, this I promise you" He explained.

Bill stepped past Eric and headed down the stairs. Eric and Carla followed behind.

"I know that I have made you afraid of me" He was speaking to Jessica. "But I promise you, I am no longer the man who caused you to fear" He explained, stepping closer to her.

She was still unsure.

"That is right, you aren't Bill Compton, because I watched Bill Compton die, right in front of my eyes" Sookie butted in. "So if you really mean none of us any harm, then leave, leave Bon Temps and leave all of us alone" Sookie told him.

"No" Jessica decided, throwing the stake that Sookie had handed her to the ground. "All of you need to leave" she told them, looking at Sookie, then Nora, Eric and even Carla. "Bill will be staying, and so am I" she decided.

"Jessica…" Sookie began, but she was stopped.

"He is my maker! I will not leave him!"

"He's not, not anymore" Sookie said back.

"You don't know that, none of you know anything, not even Bill knows, all of you are just interested in killing and asking questions later, but Carla told me what I should do, and I'm going to do it. I trust Bill, and I want to stand by his side, so all of you, should just leave!" Jessica shouted before anyone else could butt in.

Carla nodded, heading for the door, no one else moved.

"You heard her, get out" Bill growled, which then caused the ground beneath the house itself to move, and the foundations of the house to let out a groan.

The four of them stepped out of the house and headed back towards Sookie's house.

"I need a moment with them" Eric said to his sister and she turned and vamped away, leaving the three of them alone.

"I can give you money, you can move to wherever you want, to get away from Bill" Eric spoke up first.

"What does it matter, if Bill wants me, he'll find me, I've had his blood" Sookie explained, shrugging. "If you give my house back, as you promised, there won't be a problem, because he won't be able to get to me" Sookie said, shrugging.

"You promised to give the house back?" Carla asked, obviously she was not privy to this agreement.

"Yes, in exchange for helping us in the authority" Eric explained.

Carla smiled up at the vampire.

"Thank you" she said, meaningfully.

Eric laid his hand on her shoulder, pulling her close to him as they walked, her shoulder underneath his, she looped her arm around his waist.

"Wait until he signs it over to me before you start thanking him" Sookie grumbled.

They stepped up Sookie's porch, and she opened the front door.

They stepped inside.

"I'd offer you a drink, but we're all out of true blood" Sookie said, turning on the lights.

"Just get me a pen and paper" Eric requested.

Sookie walked over to the chest of drawers in the dining room and retrieved a pad of paper and a fountain pen and placed it on the table.

Eric sat down, picking up the pen with one hand and laying the back of his wrist flat on the table, both of the women jumped as he stabbed the pen into his wrist, and pulled it out slowly, his blood dripping from it.

"Eric! What the hell are you doing?" Sookie asked.

Carla remained silent.

"Giving you back your house, as was promised" He explained, writing on the pad in his blood.

He quickly finished writing on the piece of paper and handed it to Sookie.

"Thank you" She said, taking the paper from his hand.

"Stay away from Bill" Eric advised, glancing at Carla as well.

"I need to speak to Sookie, alone, for a moment, can you wait for me outside?" Carla asked, Eric nodded, with a smile and stepped out of the door.

"What is it?" Sookie asked, inquisitive.

"Sookie, you've been saying for a long time now that you want to be done with vampires, you want a normal life, without anything supernatural" Carla began.

"Now you know I didn't mean-" Sookie interrupted.

"But, I love Eric and I think we both know that vampires only come with drama and so, the only thing that I can do is leave, with Eric, because I cannot… I will not, leave Eric, I love him and that's not going to change" Carla explained.

"My mobile is upstairs, if you ever need me there's a number on it you can call" Carla explained.

"What number?" Sookie asked.

"You'll see" She told her.

"But what if I need you, every day?" Sookie asked, her lips twisted into a frown.

Carla didn't know what to reply, she just wrapped her arms around the woman and gave her a long hug.

"Take your life back Sookie, you deserve a family, you deserve happiness, more than anyone else I know" Carla said, pulling back and resting her hands on her shoulders.

Sookie nodded.

Carla turned around and headed for the door, dropping her set of keys on the table next to the door and opened it, heading out.

"Goodbye, Sookie" She said, looking over her shoulder.

"Goodbye" Sookie said back, as the door swung shut.

Carla found Eric outside, leaning against the porch railing, with his sister opposite him.

"Darling sister, I would not stir this pot" Eric said, in a low and sinister tone.

Carla stepped away from the door.

"Are we done?" Eric asked, looking up at Carla.

"Yes" Carla muttered, wiping her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Eric asked, walking closer to her.

"I am fine, please, you don't need to ask me, I am fine" Carla took a deep breath. "And nothing personal, but I'd prefer if you don't bother Sookie anymore"

Eric chuckled. "That was another part of our deal" He told her.

"Good" Carla said.

"We should head back to your bar" Nora said, getting up and walking off the porch.

"Very well" Eric agreed.

Carla shrugged off the stiffness in her shoulders.

Nora vamped away, back towards Shreveport.

Carla stepped towards Eric, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply and desperately.

Eric placed his hands on her hips, letting them run up her frame, one running up and laying on the back of her scalp, holding onto her hair with his large palm, while the other made it's way back down to her hip, pulling her against him.

Their lips pressed against one another forcefully, showing their deep ingrained want for one another.

Eric vamped off the porch, running into the cover of the trees at the edge of the garden, having Carla in his powerful grip.

Carla pulled her mouth away from him, put laid her forehead against him still.

"I am sorry" she gasped, able to breathe again.

"I almost lost you" Eric said, pulling his hands up to her face, and resting them on her cheeks.

They were stood far enough into the wooded area that they could not be seen from the house, so they could have some privacy.

"I am so sorry" Carla said again, opening her eyes to look into his pale grey ones.

"Please, do not do that to me again" Eric said, pulling her body against his, wrapping his muscular arms tight around her, as if he might never let go.

"I won't, I promise you" Carla laced her arms around his waist.

They stood there for a moment, close to one another. Eric listening to her heart beat so close to him. Carla feeling every slight movement of the muscles in his back.

"We should catch up with Nora" Carla decided, knowing that it was serious they decide what to do about Bill.

Eric nodded, slowly releasing her from his tight and protective hold.

"Race you" He grinned, shooting off.

Carla morphed in mid step and chased after him.

* * *

They managed to get back to the bar at the same time as Nora and so they all entered together.

As Eric pulled the door open, there was a loud and terrible screaming coming from within, which made them all rush inside.

"What the hell…?" Eric said, rushing over to Pam who was standing next to the bar, which Tara was laying on, screaming.

"Tara was shot, she's not healing" Pam explained, she was clutching her progeny's hand, looking terrified for her.

Eric, Nora and Carla rushed over, looking down at the wound which Tara was covering with her hand.

Eric gently moved it away so they could see.

There was a bullet wound just to the side of Tara's hip bone, there was a strange glowing from inside the wound, and the skin around it was bubbling.

"What happened to her?" Eric asked.

"The police have new guns, the bullet's still inside there" Pam explained, looking down at the wound.

Eric moved his hands over the wound, digging his fingers into Tara's stomach, attempting to dig out the bullet.

He wrapped his fingers around the object, about to pull it out, but there was a searing sound and he pulled his hand back quickly.

"Let me" Carla said.

Eric stepped aside.

Carla dug her fingers gently into the wound, plucking out the bullet without fail.

Tara immediately healed over, she stopped screaming and retracted her fangs.

"What the fuck is it?" Nora asked, looking at the thing in Carla's bloody fingers.

"It's a silver bullet, emitting UV light" Carla explained, looking at the shining object that was tickling her fingers gently, as the sun did.

"How?" Eric asked.

"What do you mean how? General Cavanar said they had weapons, these are the weapons" Nora explained.

"What general?" Tara asked, a question Carla would also like to know.

"A general I killed" Eric said, in a way of explaining.

"Dead general, got it" Tara said back.

"They're doing it, the humans, they're fighting back" Nora said, sounding surprised as well and a little scared.

"What did you expect? You wanted them to just lie there and take it?" Pam asked.

"Well they've never fought back before!" Nora shouted back.

"Before there was true blood, when the voters are also lunch it doesn't go in vampire's favour" Carla said, leaning back against the bar, placing the bullet on the bar.

Eric wandered away, in silence, deep in thought.

"I'm not afraid of humans…" Eric muttered, his mind not really paying attention to the conversation that was taking place, paying more attention to his thoughts.

"Well maybe we should, they're pissed, there's more of them than us, and now, on top of everything, they have weapons and they stole all my shit…" Pam screamed, completely losing it.

"And you! You and your authority cronies fucked us!" Pam shouted at Nora.

"I am so sorry, that your small town bar, was robbed. Also that you are scared of the humans, but both I and my brother have to deal with the small problem of taking care of a vampire god…" Nora replied, with just as much aggression.

"If the humans want a war, we'll give them a war" Eric proclaimed, turning around to face them again.

"Scour the vampire bible, again, look for anything that could give us a clue, any detail-"

Eric was interrupted. "I've been through it backward, forwards, thousands of-"

"TRY! AGAIN!" Eric ordered Nora. Who was a little surprised by his coldness.

"Carla, come with me" Eric requested, after a short pause.

Carla nodded, following Eric out of the bar.

"What are you going to do?!" Nora asked, shouting behind them as they exited the bar.

"Sure do go on don't they?" Carla remarked.

"Women in my family" Eric replied simply, as if it explained it.

* * *

It took them only a few minutes to arrive at the office of the new governor of Louisiana, as he was situated so close to Shreveport.

They were standing under a tree on a darkened path looking at the defenses.

"What are we doing here?" Carla asked, looking at Eric.

He didn't return her gaze.

"I'm looking for a way to get in and glamour the governor, if I can do that I can fix this whole situation" Eric explained.

"And I'm here just in case I need to swoop in and save you?" Carla asked, joking a little, knowing that Eric was able to look after himself, even in the most extreme circumstances.

"Exactly" Eric remarked, more serious than she had expected.

"So, any idea how you're getting in?" Carla asked.

"Not at the moment" Eric said, still looking at the building, as if looking for escape routes or easy entrance points, but the whole area was crawling with guards, so it would be hard to attempt to sneak in.

Carla glanced to the side, noticing a man holding a lot of papers in one hand, a briefcase under his arm, and a mobile held to his ear with his other hand, walking towards them.

Carla nudged Eric, the man, thankfully was not looking where he was walking, but instead was talking into his phone and fumbling with his papers.

"Yes, okay, I understand, I am late for my seven o'clock meeting with the governor and I really need to go, I will talk to you later, this is an important appointment, I waited months for it" The man rambled on.

Carla turned to face Eric, who nodded.

Eric vamped over to the man, yanking him back into the well-trimmed hedge which bordered the building's grounds.

He glamoured the man, took his clothes and his papers and headed into the building, telling Carla that if he wasn't out in ten minutes, wait fifteen.

Carla rolled her eyes, as he bumbled his way up to the building, definitely suiting the part, with his shoulders hunched and head lowered.

It turned out that Carla didn't have to wait long at all, as within a quarter of an hour, they were escorting Eric out by armed guard, as a van pulled up, he was ordered to get inside.

"Aren't you going to read me my rights?" he asked.

"You don't have any rights, fanger" One of the guard told him, waving his weapon towards the back of the van. "Get in" He ordered.

Carla ran out from under the tree, at vampire speed, something she had recently become better at using since the authority situation and grabbed Eric morphing into her bird form, causing many of the soldiers to leap backwards in shock. Carla threw herself into the air and sped away, the men were too shocked to fire their weapons, which was probably why Eric had asked her to save him, considering if he flew away they may fire at him and hit him.

Eric climbed up from Carla's talons to her back, shouting over the wind rushing past them as they were high in the air.

"Morph back, I'll fly!" He shouted, obviously not liking her more acrobatic style.

She did so, and he grabbed her in his arms, floating in mid-air for a moment, and then turning around and heading back towards the governor's building.

"Why're we going back?!" Carla asked, confused.

"I have another idea" Eric simply said not elaborating on it.

As soon as they were close, Carla noticed two people walking out of the building, climbing into the back of a range rover which then drove away.

He followed the vehicle all the way back to its destination and then watch the inhabitants get out.

They went into the house and as the door closed.

Eric and Carla touched down behind the building.

"What're we doing here?" Carla asked.

"This, is the governor's house and I am here to talk to his daughter" Eric enunciated 'talk' as if he didn't mean talk at all.

"Eric Northman you better not be here to fucking kill someone, because you know full well that will not solve anything" Carla warned, raising a finger.

"Oh hush, I know what I'm doing" Eric assured her.

"I sure hope you bloody well do" Carla gave him a serious stare.

"I'll be back soon" He told her, flying up to the second floor of the building, looking in the window.

He had obviously been invited in, as he climbed into the room within a moment, disappearing from view.

Sure, Carla had said that humans were not her kind, and plenty of humans had been nice and helpful to her, but equal amount had been cruel, judging and even violent towards her. But she believed that killing the governor, or even the relative of the governor would only fan the flames of hatred for vampires, as it would prove all the things he was preaching.

Carla hoped that Eric was far enough removed from his Viking life, being a thousand years from it, he really should be, to realise that starting a war was the wrong thing to do.

Carla sat down, resting her back against the wall of the house, ensuring she was given cover by the well preened conifer bush that was in front of her.

Carla looked down at her still bloody arms, and sighed.

Clive was gone. She felt his departure, like a sharp sting at her very centre. But she wasn't sad, not like they said she would be.

The people in her village, her prison, they would always say that when druids were joined for life, if one of them died, the other would soon follow. A broken heart was the deadliest wound, one that was not easily healed.

Carla wasn't heartbroken, she wasn't even sad. She regretted how things may have ended, but she would not change them, for she would have not been with Eric, the one redeeming factor of life without her child.

With both of the agents of the barrier dead, maybe the druids would leave her alone now? Being gone for a year and Mary seeing her vanish with the fairy like that, they probably thought she was gone.

And since Clive and Rob must have simply disappeared after that incident, they must have assumed that she was gone after all.

There was a whooshing sound as Eric jumped down from the window he has entered moments ago.

Carla stood up, only then did she realise he was not alone.

He was standing there with a woman in a long flowing lace night dress.

"Eric! Who the fuck-?" Carla was interrupted by Eric.

"Later, we need to leave!" Eric shouted at her, taking off into the sky.

There was a loud shouting from the window above her. Carla took it as her cue to leave, following Eric and she was lucky she didn't wait, as there was gunfire behind her as she sped away in her bird form, following Eric's figure.

* * *

They arrived back at Fangtasia pretty quickly, Eric bursting through the door holding onto the woman.

Carla shortly behind.

"Where's Nora?" Eric asked Pam, noting she was not at the bar.

"She went out" Pam answered in her usual bored and slightly pissed off tone.

"Eric! Who the fuck is this? You better not have done what I specifically told you not to do!" Carla interrupted them, demanding to be answered.

"This is Miss Willa Burrell" Eric explained. "And you should have more faith in me, I'm not going to kill her" He added.

"You kidnapped the governor's daughter?" Pam asked, equally surprised and pissed off.

"Aww… hell no!" Tara added, placing her hand over her face.

"You better not fucking kill her, there is a reason I warned you about this" Carla spoke up.

"I am aware of that, which is why I am asking you to trust me!" Eric shouted back.

Carla paused and then nodded. "Very well" She agreed, hoping it was the right decision.

"Besides, she has useful information, at least she'd better have" Eric leaned down, intimidating the girl.

"I-I-I do and I will tell you everything, I promise…" She stuttered out, afraid of the vampire.

"Personally, I'd like to see him kill her" Pam decided, putting on her sadistic smile.

"Why kill her? All he needs to do is glamour all of this shit out of her and send her the fuck back home!" Tara explained.

"Because, Tara, her daddy fucked up my bar and stole all my shit, plus… glamouring's boring"

"You know that it is savage ass shit like that makes the humans hate us" Tara said, she was right.

"No-one is killing her, or they'll have to go through me first" Carla butted in.

"You're welcome to try and stop me, hello kitty" Pam turned to Carla, mocking her.

"Vampire Barbie" Carla spat back.

Pam raised an eyebrow.

"Ladies, no doubt the governor and his personal security detail will not be far behind us. I suggest you hurry and collect everything that you find sentimental because we are leaving Fangtasia for good" Eric explained, sitting Willa down in one of the chairs next to a small table in the bar, then sitting down opposite her.

"You really gonna roll over and take it like that, Pam?" Tara asked.

"Not for her Daddy or anyone" Pam growled.

Eric raised his voice to show his authority, showing he would not be argued with. "Now!" He ordered.

After a brief pause of Pam putting up a fight, she turned to face Tara. "Come on" She said and walked away into the office to collect their things.

Carla stepped back and leant against the bar, looking at Eric.

He met her gaze and then turned away to Willa.

"You don't have to glamour me, I am willing to tell you everything. I am on your side, I don't agree with anything my father is doing to you and your people" Willa explained and new found courage in her voice.

"So, you mentioned something about… experiments?" Eric asked, waiting for her reply, they must have been speaking briefly in the house while she was outside.

"Do you remember the ballot measures last year?" Willa asked Eric, who nodded. "Not a penny of that money went to the highway system" she explained.

"Then where did it go?" Eric asked, urging her on.

"He used it to build a camp, it's part prison and part research facility, they have been studying vampires, as a species. The vampires they arrest they are being taken there so they can study your biology, your physiology, psychology, it's sick… sick shit" Willa was almost at the point of tears, quivering a little.

"And where is this… 'Camp'?" Eric asked.

"I don't know" Willa said, honesty obvious in her tone.

Eric vamped forward and released his fangs, threatening the girl.

Carla jumped forward, about to intervene.

Eric raised his hand, telling her to stop. He was not going to hurt her.

"I don't! I swear! The only reason I know anything to do with this is because I have been snooping around for months collecting information about it! Please, please don't kill me" She gasped, desperately afraid of the vampire, so much so that she was gasping for breath with one hand gripping the edge of the table she was sat next to.

"Eric, glamour her if you must, but can't you tell she is telling you the truth" Carla said.

Eric turned to face her and then turned back to Willa.

"Alright" Eric replied.

Pam came through from the back of the bar, carrying a black cardboard box with their possessions inside.

"We're done" she said simply. "Everything I care about, then her Daddy didn't take or destroy, fits in this box" She added, looking down at the small receptacle.

"It's only a bar, Pam" Eric said, looking at his progeny.

"Not even you believe that" She said back, meeting his eyes.

"She tell you everything you needed from her?" Pam asked, glancing at Willa.

"Yes, she was very forthcoming indeed" Eric admitted, glancing at Carla.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Eric offered his hand to Willa and she got up. "Come on, you're coming with us" Eric said. He ignored the other's groans and words of protest as they walked past the two vampires towards the door.

"Please, cut off her head and rest it on her pretty little stomach and when the governor storms in here for the second god damn time he can have that lovely image seared into his memory for the rest of his life. Either that or what Tara suggested earlier, but do not bring her with!" Pam argued, vamping in front of Eric and Willa.

"Do you realise, this place, all of it, it's not ours anymore. Burrell already took it all, we have nothing to use as a weapon against him, neither do we have anything he cares about to negotiate with, all with have is the girl and so, she lives" Eric decided, laying down the law in a way that she would and could not question.

"Thank you" Willa gasped, before Eric pulled a piece of duct tape off the box Pam was carrying and stuck it over her mouth, silencing her.

"Now let's go" Eric said, heading for the door.

"Where exactly are we going?" Carla asked, following him out.

"For a sleepover with an employee" Eric said as a way of explaining.

* * *

Half an hour before sun up, they arrived at a house that was unknown to Carla.

Eric knocked on the door, sticking his head inside.

"Hello Ginger" He said in his cool voice. "Can I come in…?"

Carla kept her hands on Willa's shoulders, ensuring that she did not run anywhere, waiting for Ginger to invite them in.

"Of course, come on in you big, bad, vampire" Ginger pulled Eric inside, about to close the door behind her.

Carla pushed Willa forward and she pushed the door open.

They walked in.

"I hope you don't mind. I brought friends" Eric commented.

Ginger looked more than a little pissed off.

She was about to close the door behind Carla and Willa, but it was pushed open by Pam, demanding to be invited in.

Ginger complied, as she did with Tara also.

"Does this mean we're not fucking?" Ginger asked, she was in her underwear and a skimpy tube top, her hair in curlers.

"No, unfortunately Ginger, we will not be fucking on this occasion" Eric told her. "But there will come a time, I assure you" He promised her.

Carla gave him a death glare. He put a fake ass grin on his lips.

"Well then who the hell is she?" Ginger asked, indicating Willa, still with the duct tape on her mouth, her eyes wide and nervous.

"Who she is, is none of your concern, that she, I and Carla will be sleeping in your coffin for the day, however, is, and that Pam and Tara will be in your… shitty little underground cubby" Eric asked. Ginger shrugged.

"And why the fuck do you three get the coffin?" Tara asked, glancing at Pam.

"Now, Tara, let's not be petty" Eric told the vampire, who just looked back at him with a pissed off look, which seemed to be her default face now. "The sun will be up in a few minutes, we better go to ground" Eric beckoned Carla towards him and grabbed Willa's arm, pulling her with him. Carla followed him.

"What the fuck..." Tara muttered.

"Why don't we have-" Pam began, but Eric cut her off mid sentence.

"The girl is sleeping with me and Carla because I. Do. Not. Trust. You. Not. To. Kill. Her." Eric spelt out, pausing before entering the door to the bedroom to inform her.

Pam rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and pouting, as if her plan had been foiled.

"Ginger, please escort these two to your underground cubby?" Eric said, not waiting for her answer. "Thank you"

Eric led the way into the room, lifting up the lid on the king sized bed-coffin.

"Is it really necessary for me to sleep with the both of you?" Carla asked, watching Eric as he opened the coffin and got inside.

"Yes, I don't want her opening the lid during daytime" Eric explained.

"Fine" Carla pulled off the leather jacket she was still wearing since the authority, throwing it down onto the floor, only a vest underneath she then crawled onto the bed, lying on her side with her back facing Eric. He rested his hand on her hip as Willa got into the bed with them, laying down opposite Carla, the tape still over her mouth.

Carla reached up and pulled the handle which was attached to the lid of the coffin, pulling it down on them, there was a quiet click.

Carla settled back down, only a small gap between her and Eric, he slid his hand up from her hip onto her stomach, spreading his fingers out.

"Are you hungry?" Carla whispered to him, not knowing when he last ate.

"Not desperate" He replied, shuffling his head further up the pillows, pulling her up with him, also pulling her body so it was flush against his in the process.

"Eat while you can" Carla said, reaching up with her hand about to pull her hair out of the way.

Eric caught her hand, putting it back down. He then used his own hand to brush her hair away from her neck, running his fingers through it right to the ends and letting it tumble off them.

He then moved his hand back up, letting his fingertips drag along the skin of her arm all the way up to her shoulder.

She then felt when she assumed was his lips stroke their way along the back of her shoulder, stopping at her neck.

He kissed the flesh there before biting down gently.

She jumped slightly in surprise, as she had not heard his fangs emerge.

There was a sucking sound as he dragged the blood from her jugular vein, letting it flow down his throat into him. He let out a loud moan, biting down again.

"...Are they really doing that in here? What's this feeling I'm feeling... Jealousy? I don't know, Eric really is quite attractive, more so than most men..." Carla almost jumped at the sound of Willa's voice in her head. She had almost forgotten she could hear human's thoughts, she had barely been around them for a while, or she had been in so much danger that she hadn't had time to let the thoughts in.

"Eric!" Carla whispered, the bite being a little painful and the fact he was now pressing his erect manhood against her behind, thankfully it was only dimly lit inside the coffin, it was still a little awkward, especially when their hostage was opposite them.

Eric slowed with his sucking and pulled away from her. He must have bit down on his tongue, as he ran it over the bite wounds on her neck, healing them.

"Thank you" He said, close to her ear.

He reached down and picked up her wrist, where Bill has bitten her earlier than night, he ran his tongue along it, and the wounds closed.

He laid the arm back down before he laced his hand around her waist, tucking his fingers underneath her, holding her close.

Carla thought back to what Russel had said over a year ago, when they were babysitting him in the bar during the day. 'I hear druid is an acquired taste, better and better the more and more you drink it'. Carla hoped this wasn't true, because that would mean her and Eric may get to the point where she couldn't feed him, as she would be so overpoweringly delicious that her may drain her completely.

No.

Carla refused to let herself believe a three-thousand year old maniac, who was about as mendacious as Bill was, even more so.

Carla shuffled her body a little, trying to rest, within a few moments, she was asleep.

* * *

"Mister?" A sweet and almost childish voice asked.

Carla opened one eye, looking across at the source of the noise.

"Mister?" The voice asked again, it was coming from Willa.

"What do you want?" Eric grumbled from behind Carla, shuffling slightly to become comfortable again. "I'm a vampire, I am supposed to be dead during the day" Eric told her, his voice low and husky, the tone that Carla adored.

"I thought, maybe, you'd want to talk more?" She asked.

"No, but thank you, now put your tape back on" Eric told her, strengthening his grip on Carla and pulling her tight to him.

"You know how it was reported that my dad had that affair on my mum and that was why she left? It was actually the other way around, she had the affair, and it was with a vampire she had an affair with" Willa explained, regardless of Eric's instructions.

"Really?" Eric asked, suddenly interested.

"He owns a bar, kinda like yours…" Willa was interrupted.

"There's only one Fangtasia, Willa" Eric explained.

Willa nodded. "Of course" She agreed.

"Why didn't you go and stay with them?" Carla asked, joining in the conversation.

"Oh she woke you up too, why don't you tell her to put her tape back on, woman to woman? I hear you get through to each other better when you're the same sex" Eric mocked.

Carla nudged him in the chest with her elbow.

He chuckled at her.

"I did really want to… but my dad, he had his lieutenant governor squash her petition plans" Willa explained. "And I didn't even know any of this 'till-"

"Is this your way of trying to convince me that you don't have any problems with vampires? That you're open minded? Like Mom?" Eric butted in, interrupting the girl in mid-sentence.

"I'm just talking" Willa assured them. "Plus I get the feeling that I don't have much longer to live anyway, but to answer your question, honestly, I do like vampires, very much so" She answered.

_"...Might as well be helpful, considering those other vampires are constantly baying for my blood, Pam? Was it? I don't blame her either..."_ Willa's thoughts nattered on inside Carla's head. She raised her hands and laid them under her head, trying to ignore them. Which was exceedingly difficult, as they were so loud, probably due to how close Willa was to her.

Carla saw Willa squinting through the darkness.

"You're bleeding mister" She told Eric, who had his head higher up that Carla.

"Like I said, I am meant to be dead during the day, this is the result of not being" Eric told her.

Willa slowly raised her hand from where she was resting it next to her body, and edged it closer to Eric, when she pulled it away seconds later, there was a blob of his blood on her finger, she pulled it back, closer to her mouth, about to put it inside.

Before she could and before Carla could stop her herself, Eric snatched her hand, tutting at her.

He pulled the hand back towards Carla, she opened her mouth as he placed Willa's finger into her mouth.

Carla closed her lips around it, sucking the blood of the end of her finger, stroking her tongue along it to make sure it was all gone.

Eric slowly pulled it out of her mouth again.

"Can't let you do that, I'm afraid" Eric said, as he let go of the woman's hand, placing his arm back around Carla.

"Put your tape back on" Carla ordered, closing her eyes.

Eric chuckled, before closing his eyes too.

Willa let out a long sigh, and rolled onto her back, closing her eyes to go back to sleep.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed, i've love to hear if you did, and what you thought, thanks for reading and i hope to see you back next time for the next chapter!**

**Love you guys!**

**Seeya,**

**-Shad out**


	42. Trust Me

**Welcome back, hope you enjoy, thanks for taking the time to come back for the update! ;)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty- two - Trust Me

* * *

There was a faint ringing from outside the coffin which made Carla stir, she concentrated on the noise, trying to pinpoint its location.

"Eric Northman's phone. Ginger speaking" Ginger's high voice spoke up outside the coffin, through in the lounge.

Carla pushed her elbow back into Eric, who grumbled.

"Carla…" He growled.

"Ginger just picked up your phone" Carla explained quickly.

There was a pause and Eric listened closely with Carla.

Then the coffin lid was opened and Ginger was looking down on them.

"I hope it's okay that I answered your phone, it's the governor" Ginger offered the phone to Eric.

Carla reached over and covered Willa's mouth with her hand, as she had not put her tape back on as she was asked.

Eric got up out of the coffin, snatching the phone out of her hand.

"What'd I do?" Ginger asked, confused.

"It's alright Ginger. I understand, you're stupid" Eric explained, picking up a roll of duct tape from the bedside cabinet that he must have laid there the previous night.

He passed it to Carla, who pulled some tape off the roll, laying it across Willa's mouth.

"Tara, watch her" Eric said, walking out into the lounge and putting the phone to his ear.

Carla stood up in the coffin, pulling Willa up with her.

She handed the woman to Tara.

"I don't want any part in this" Tara refused.

Carla said nothing, she just left the human with her and followed Eric out.

Pam and Ginger weren't far behind her, and they shut the door to the bedroom behind them.

"…Now the only reason I haven't killed her yet is because I'm still deciding on the best way to do it…" Eric was in the middle of the conversation. "… Do I, drink her? No… I think she might enjoy that… See she's definitely developing a thing for me" Eric explained.

Eric was right about that at least.

Pam had a huge grin across her face.

Carla was less fond of his taunting.

"Now I have a friend here who is positively desperate to decapitate her, now that's always graphic… and fun, but also messy, especially when I am wearing a thousand dollar suit. Maybe we should be more 21st century and take it to the internet and let the people decide?" He asked.

He went silent for a moment.

"But I promise you, one thing, IS for certain. I will kill her and I am not going to put her on the phone… to say goodbye… to Daddy" Eric mocked.

Carla didn't want to hear anymore, she turned around and opened the door into the bedroom, going to check on Willa and Tara.

When she entered the room, it was empty and the window was wide open.

"Shit" Carla turned around to see Eric right behind her, looking into the room.

"They're coming… they traced the call" Eric explained.

"Well our hostage is gone" Carla shrugged.

"Fuck…" Eric cursed.

"Fucking Tara!" Pam added, shooting out of the window.

Carla morphed, turning back to the bed and getting Willa's scent.

Eric turned to Ginger and glamoured her into stalling for them, also ordering her to forget they were ever here when the governor stormed into the house.

Carla morphed and climbed out the window before morphing again to follow the scent.

She heard Eric's footsteps behind her, as she made her way following the scent. Carla lept down a manhole cover to a large storm drain which the sewers led out into.

She ran straight to a sewer entrance, where she lost the scent.

"Fuck!" Carla morphed back into her human form.

"Tara's very intelligent, taking her through the sewers makes it twice as hard for me to track her" Carla sighed.

Pam appeared down the ladder into the storm drain behind them.

"Pam, summon Tara" Eric ordered.

"Is this really necessary-" Pam was cut off.

"Just! Do it!" Eric ordered, positively fuming.

Pam closed her eye for a moment.

"Where is she?" Eric questioned, knowing the vampire couldn't have gotten far with the few moments she had while Eric was on the phone and so it would not take long for her to get back to her maker.

"She's coming" Pam said, not opening her eyes.

"Summon her again!" Eric ordered.

"She's almost here!" Pam yelled back.

Carla turned around as she heard splashing from the sewer tunnel she had tracked Tara to.

The vampire emerged and turned toward Pam and Eric.

Pam opened her eyes.

"God… I can smell you from here" Pam complained.

"Where's the girl?" Eric questioned immediately.

"I'm not going to tell you" Tara replied.

"Oh really?" Eric asked, looking at Pam.

"As your maker-" Pam began.

Tara began yelling as loud as she could so she could not hear Pam's order before she could even say it.

Eric vamped over to Tara, slamming her against the concrete floor beneath them, his hand was around her throat.

"As you won't listen to your maker's commands, I will have to force you to listen to mine" Eric said down to her.

Tara kept a determined and straight face.

"Now, where is the girl?" Eric asked.

"Fuck off!" Tara replied.

Pam stepped forward. "Eric, you have no right, she's-"

"Shut up Pam!" Eric turned around to order her, and then turned back to the woman he had pinned to the ground.

"I'll ask again, where is she?" Eric asked.

Carla sighed, this really was a big fucking mess.

"At the fairground… off I20" Tara said, finally giving in.

Carla knew where this was, so she headed for the ladder a few paces away and began climbing it.

"Meet here tomorrow night" Eric said behind her to the two women, then he followed Carla.

Carla morphed at the top of the tunnel and rushed off in the direction of the fair ground, with Eric close behind.

* * *

Upon leaping over the high gates of the derelict fair ground, Carla caught the human's scent again and followed it quickly.

She came upon an old carousel, where should could see Willa in her long, white silk night dress sitting on one of the seats.

In her cat form she jumped over the barriers, landing at the bottom of the carousel. She padded slowly toward Willa, who had a look of terror in her eyes.

Carla stalked closer and then morphed in front of the girl.

"Why didn't you run?" Carla asked over the sound of Eric arriving behind her.

"I knew Eric would come, I need to ask him something" She explained, her eyes a little wider in wonder as to what Carla had just done, her voice also a little shaky.

"And what did you need to say to me?" Eric asked, making his way over the barriers to join the two of them.

Carla sat down on the seat on the carousel opposite Willa.

"I really do like vampires and it makes me sick to my stomach knowing what he is doing to you and your kind. I also wanted to ask why you didn't allow me to taste your blood last night?" Willa asked, looking up into Eric's eyes as he walked around to sit next to Carla, opposite Willa.

"Well… the real question is, why did you want to taste it so desperately?" Eric asked.

"I feel that I deserve to, after all I have told you" Willa said back, a serious look on her face.

"Really?" Eric chuckled.

"I really do want to help you, just tell me how I can" Willa replied.

Eric stopped talking, and lapsed into silence for a moment.

He then turned to Carla and said.

"I have an idea" Eric got up and offered Willa his hand.

"Come with me" He requested.

She stood up and followed him.

Carla caught up with him as he walked off into the thicket around the fairground.

"What is this idea?" Carla asked, falling into step beside him.

"It's that you go back and make sure that Pam and Tara are not in danger and I sort this out on my own. Thank you for your help, but I need you to make sure they are safe on their own and they have a safe place to rest" Eric explained.

"And what are you going to do?" Carla asked.

Eric halted and turned towards Carla.

"What I am going to do does not matter, what's important is that Pam and Tara are not found during the day. I need you to find them a safe place to rest and stay with them until nightfall" Eric explained.

Willa was silent.

Carla sighed. "Fine" She agreed, "Just don't get yourself into any trouble while I'm gone" She requested, a grin spread across his face.

"You do know who you're talking to don't you?" He joked.

"Yes, I suppose there's no keeping you out of trouble"

Eric leaned forward, raising his hands to rest on Carla's shoulders, he gave them a squeeze, and place a kiss on her forehead.

"Stay safe" He said, before letting go of her and continuing on his way. "Come on Willa" He said over his shoulder, and she hurried to catch up with him.

Carla turned around herself, morphing and stringing up into the air, flying back to where they had left Tara and Pam earlier.

* * *

She morphed a few feet above the ground, falling down onto her feet, rushing over to the manhole cover that led down into the storm drain where Eric had told them to wait.

Upon moving it Carla poked her head down, looking around for the vampires, though she knew she would probably hear them arguing before she saw them.

But the place was empty, and dead quiet, except for the low trickle of water from out of the sewers.

Carla pulled herself up, looking around, doing a three-sixty of the surroundings.

She was on the side of a road, in one direction it led to a sharp left turn, the sides of the road itself covered with high bushes, whatever was behind them was shrouded in darkness. In the other direction, about a mile along the road, there was a small house, as well as a row of houses on the other side of the road, they were lit with street lights so they were visible though they were far away.

The air was cool, with a slight breeze, and it was extremely quiet.

Carla turned and began walking towards the houses further up the road, having no other way of looking for the vampires than first checking the immediate area.

A high pitched scream broke the night air, and multiple gunshots rang out.

Carla broke into a run, not being able to control her speed, she vamped right to the end of the road, standing next to the building she had been a good distance away from. She saw Pam laying on the ground, clutching her chest, screaming in pain. There was a loud searing sound coming from her as well as little plooms of smoke.

The humans opposite, the ones who had fired on her, wore black padded uniforms which read 'LAVTF' on the front, they raised their weapons again, about to fire at Carla.

Their guns fired, but there was only an empty space for them to hit. Carla leaned down and picked Pam up in her arms, drawing greatly on Eric's strength to do so.

She ran in the direction of the trees, hoping to get out of the human's line of sight, though one of them guessed that she would try to save Pam. He had waited for her to, keeping his laser sight over the vampire, he fired as soon as he saw the blur of Carla's body in vamp speed.

She could only take a few steps before the bullet pierced through her, entering her chest, breaking through a rib, and continuing through her left lung and out the front, bouncing on the ground a few steps away.

Carla dropped to her knees, all the air bleeding out of the wound in her lung, making her breathless, the pain engulfing her.

Pam was beneath her, still writhing in pain, the UV bullet shining from beneath her leather jacket.

She couldn't allow both of them to get caught.

She raised her hand, using all of her strength to dig her fingers into the vampire's wound, yanking out the bullet with a quick pull, which was accompanied by pained cries from Pam.

"FUCKING RUN!" She yelled down at Pam, who looked back at her, her chest healing over in a few seconds. She pushed herself up and vamped away, making it to the tree line in seconds, before she disappeared from view, multiple bullets following her as the human's approached.

Carla tried to push herself up onto her feet, but her chest cramped as blood ran down her chest, soaking her shirt.

She fell back down onto the floor, clutching her chest, crouching, her teeth gritted, trying to ignore the pain, though it was great.

There was the sound of a radio being used behind her, the man using it spoke up into the receiver, "Got another coming in from west sector" He said, taking his hand of the speak button, another voice sounded from the handset.

_"Understood"_ it barked.

"Sir!" One of the soldiers tried to get the attention of the leader.

"What is it?" He asked.

"The bullet" He said, obviously pointing to the bullet that had passed straight through her, meaning she was not disabled if she were a vampire. Unfortunately she was not, otherwise she was be in prime condition to escape as of that moment.

Carla couldn't move, she held a hand over her wound, barely able to continue breathing with only one lung active. She was gasping for air and rolled over onto her back.

The leader of the group spoke into his radio again. "Tell the doctor he's going to love this one" He said simply.

* * *

"Uncover her, the light in her eyes might get her up"

Carla felt a strong light aimed right at her face. She squinted, letting out a groan of discomfort.

Opening her eyes and blinking multiple times, she let her eyes adjust to the light.

"Well, hello miss" A male voice spoke down to her.

She tried to move her arms, but they were strapped down, as well as her feet.

Her eyes finally focused on a man in a long white lab coat, black suit pants and a white shirt beneath his coat. He was sitting on a stool which was on wheels, looking into her face.

"Hello?" She said, getting flashbacks to her time in the authority.

"I'd like to ask you some questions, if you wouldn't mind?" The man said, smiling.

"Questions? About what?" She replied, looking down at her thick silver restraints. She wouldn't be able to use Eric's strength now, not with silver against her skin. The room around her was round, had white walls, though it was barely furnished with many large doors without knobs, as if they opened by sliding up.

"About what you are" He said.

"I'm a waitress" She said quickly, putting on a false guise.

The man chuckled. "No, I don't mean that, I mean what species are you?" He explained.

"Human?" Carla said, making a face as if the question he was asking was absurd.

"Is that why you can run at the speed of a vampire, and yet you don't heal like a vampire?" He asked. "As well as being immune to this UV light I have on you"

Carla pushed down the feeling of nerves bubbling in her stomach.

"Magic?" She asked, putting on her best sarcastic and I don't give a fuck face on.

The scientist looking man smiled, pausing before he said the next thing.

"Now, as you are not cooperating with my investigation, which, by the way I have been very kind and accommodating towards you, there are two things we can do from here on" He paused, wheeling his chair over to a metal trolley, with a tray on the top. He picked up and large, thick bladed scalpel.

"You can either tell me what I need to know, or I can be very persuasive" The man raised the scalpel, indicating his method of persuasion.

Carla sighed. What the fuck would it matter to them if they knew what she was? What would they do with it? There was no point undergoing useless torture when they could not use the information they could extract.

"Fine" Carla said. She set about explaining what she was, leaving out details that were personal, just telling him the essentials.

"Are there many of these, druids?" He asked, narrowing his eyes as if she was mildly unbelievable.

"I don't know. I abandoned the rest of my kin long ago" She admitted, which was true, thankfully he believed her.

Suddenly a voice interrupted them over the intercom, apparently they were being watched.

"Ask her if she knows Eric Northman" The voice said, it sounded familiar, but she could not pinpoint exactly why it did.

"You heard" The scientist said.

"Eric who?" She asked, keeping her face calm.

"Northman" The scientist repeated.

"No, I don't" Carla blinked slowly at the man, taking a moment to think about how she could get out of here, maybe this was the camp Willa spoke about? If so, then why was she here? She wasn't a vampire… maybe they thought she was a threat due to her similarities to them, ever since she had drank Eric's blood.

"Curious" The scientist muttered.

"What is?" Carla asked.

The man pushed away on this wheelie stool again, towards a monitor on another wheelie trolley, pressing a round button on the front of the screen. It lit up, showing an above ground point of view looking out towards the governor's office, as if the camera was on the tree they had been standing under when Eric went to meet the governor.

There were two figures in full view of the camera, though their backs were turned, there was no audio on the camera, probably because it was small, most likely the reason why she hadn't noticed it.

One figure turned, looking behind them, her face in full view of the camera, her arms crossed over her chest. It was Carla, of course.

The image froze, and then image was enhanced, showing a close up of her face.

"This is you, no?" The scientist pointed out the obvious.

"Yes, that is" Carla agreed, as if she could deny such plain evidence.

The clip continued, in it, Carla poke Eric to get his attention. He then turned to where she was looking, his face then shown on the camera equally clear.

"And this man, he is Eric Northman" The scientist added, as the recording was again zoomed in on Eric's features.

"Really?" Carla asked.

"Then what are you doing here with him, if you do not know him?" The scientist asked.

"What night was this? Maybe I was glamoured… I don't remember anything that happened last night" Carla explained, looking around the room. "Where am I anyway? Did I so something wrong?" trying to sound innocent.

"Well, there is a curfew enforced for all non-human inhabitants of Louisiana currently in place after dark, so yes, you have done something wrong. On top of that, you might want to add that you aided with a kidnapping, as well as helping another vampire criminal escape" The scientist explained.

"But… I was glamoured… how can I be held accountable for actions I had no control over?" Carla pleaded, trying to hold up her innocent victim act.

Suddenly one of the doors into the room slid up, a man stood on the other side. He was old, with a wrinkled face and a desperate look, looking worried.

In a few steps he was standing beside Carla on her gurney, placing his hands on the side of it, looking into her face.

"She's lying" He muttered, this was the same man who had spoken over the intercom, he sounded familiar, maybe… oh shit…

"I am well aware of that Governor, please, leave the interrogation to me. It will not help if you lose control with the only possible lead we have to finding your daughter" His voice was calm, but not sympathetic.

"Do you have children, miss?" The governor asked, ignoring the scientist, instead having his eyes fixed on Carla's.

Carla blinked slowly, maintain the same innocent stature and facial expression.

"I did have, at one time" She admitted, what use would it be to them to know?

"Well you know that all you want for them is to be safe, to have a nice life, to avoid all hardship" The governor began.

Carla just nodded.

"You know the gut wrenching feeling of dread that they might get into trouble, that they might be harmed, you may lose them" He continued.

"Of course… but what does this have to do with me?" Carla asked.

"My daughter, Willa, went missing two nights ago. Now I got in touch with the person holding her, the vampire who fucking took her from her own room, you know him" He explained.

Carla shrugged. "That's where you're wrong, I don't-"

The governor cut her off. "Save it, it won't work on me, your little act. I know you're in association with him, so just tell me where he took my Willa and I'll let you go, unharmed and what you are, all the information you have given us about it, it'll be kept secret and safe away from the American public, this I promise" He finished.

Carla knew his promises were as fake as fool's gold. She shook her head again.

"I don't know who he is, or where he is, or what you're talking about. I remember nothing of last night" Carla explained, giving a small shrug.

The governor, Burrell took a step back, his expression obviously annoyed.

"Send her to the doctor, maybe he can break through to her" The governor said, the scientist nodded, two uniformed and heavily armed guards walked in, heading straight for Carla.

The governor stepped back away from her as they undid her bindings and trained their guns on her.

"Don't try anything" One of them warned. "Get up" He ordered.

Carla did so, standing next to the bed. One of them poked the muzzle of his gun into her back, pushing her forward towards the open door from which they had entered.

"Alright! Alright!" Carla said, walking out of the door, guns at her back.

* * *

After walking down many bending corridors with guns constantly poking into her back, holding her hands above her head, they came to a large white door. One of the guards opened it for her and she was poked inside.

There was a large black leather bed without the sheets in the middle of the room, but one long black leather pillow. It was furnished with wooden furniture of different types, mostly covered with paper work.

In the corner of the room close to the bed, was a chair with a rather overweight man sitting in it, looking towards Carla.

She was still standing by the door, which had been shut behind her.

"Hello there, please lay down" The man said, trying to be polite.

Carla walked over, stepping around the bed, looking down at the man. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why?" Carla asked.

"Or you can stand, I just wish to ask you some questions" He added.

"About what? Because I've just been asked a lot of questions. I don't really feel like answering more" Carla narrowed her eyes.

"I just need to ask you a few questions about Eric Northman" He explained.

"This guy again, I don't know him, why won't you people believe me?" Carla replied.

"Unfortunately I am not confident that your answers are satisfactory, and if you continue to give unsatisfying answers then I will be forced to allow the guards to use force" He threatened, though he face was calm.

"What sort of force?" Carla asked.

"There are guns pointed at you right now, not metaphorical guns, real guns. From what I have been told, you can survive a bullet, but it still hurts, is that right?"

Carla didn't reply.

"And while you were still unconscious in the interrogation room, we shined an ultraviolet light on you to see if it would be effective, as it is on vampires. Strangely enough, the bullet wound completely healed" He continued. "So, if you wish to not co-operate, we will not hesitate to shoot you and then simply heal you. As many times as needed. I'm pretty sure you don't want that?" He said, more of a statement than a question.

Carla stayed silent for a moment, not replying. She could not tell them where Willa was, as really she did not know the exact location, as well as the fact that Eric would be with her and giving up Eric to these people would just mean he would be killed.

"Bring it on" She muttered, waiting for the gunshots, her body tense.

This would be a very long and painful experience, she could tell.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, please feel free to tell me what you think about the update, i love reading your reviews and your feedback is great, thanks for them!**

**Until next time, i hope you have a great day,**

**-Shad**


	43. Hep-V

**Thanks for coming back! I am truly grateful and i hope you enjoy yourself reading the chapter! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty-three - Hep-V

* * *

Carla coughed, her chest heaving against the straight jacket she had been put in, she was laying on her side on the hard floor of another cell, and there was no furnishing at all.

Her clothes were still wet with blood after the many hour long torture she had just endured, though of course she had not spilled the beans. She was way too committed for that.

Since the shrink had finally given up on the method of extracting the information, she had been thrown in here, on her own, her body stiff, though she was not in pain, due to the fact that they had healed her.

How long would it go on before they just killed her off? She wondered.

She pulled her legs up close to her chest.

There was the noise of footsteps outside the door of her cell and a male voice.

"Looks like you've already made some friends, you know, we can be friends to. Kinda I scratch your back you lick my balls" The voice said, as a door next to her cell was opened, and someone led inside.

"When my father-" Willa's voice began to protest.

Carla rolled over onto her back and jumped up onto her feet, about to go to the door.

"You're daddy put you in here sweetheart so I wouldn't go rooting for him to let you out" The male voice interrupted Willa, before closing the door to her cell and walking away back down the corridor.

Carla went to the door, leaning her side against it.

"Willa!" She whispered.

Willa appeared in the small opening in the other door, looking out at her.

"Carla? Oh my god, what're you doing in here?" She asked, strange concern in her voice.

"I protected Pam from the LAVTF, but I got caught myself, then your Daddy made sure I had a nice torture session to get information out of me. I'm too stubborn for that shit" Carla explained. "What the fuck are you doing here? What did Eric do?"

"He turned me" Willa said simply.

"What the fuck…" Carla sighed, resting her forehead against the door.

"Then he sent me home to my father… though he didn't take it well when I tried to eat him. His new girlfriend shot me" Willa explained.

"Eric you fucking idiot" Carla muttered.

"I'm sorry, I know I fucked up. I just couldn't help it, his hand was bleeding and I was just so hungry…" Willa said sadly.

"It's okay, I don't blame you, when you're so young you can barely rein in your desires. I'm sorry for what he did to you… really, I am" Carla looked across and met Willa's gaze.

"It's not your fault. I offered my help, in any way, and I tried, I'm just sorry I failed" Willa said.

"Do you know where Eric went after he sent you home?" Carla asked.

"No, I but I do know Tara is here, I saw her in the big cage they have, it had a big sign called 'General population: females' or something"

Carla blinked.

"If Tara is here, Pam is here, and if Pam is here, Eric is here" Carla deduced.

"How do you know that?" Willa asked.

"I just do" Carla said, sure of herself.

"Okay, so what do you do?" Willa questioned.

There was heavy footsteps from down the corridor, many of them, coming in their direction.

"Shh!" Carla said, moving away from the door and laying back down on the floor.

"What? Hello?" Willa said, before noticing the people approaching as well. She retreated from the door to go and sit in the corner of her cell staring at the wall.

As Carla had suspected, they had come for her. The door to her cell was quickly unlocked with a sharp beep, as if it was an ID chip locking system.

She closed her eyes, as if she was asleep.

Two heavy hands grabbed her under her armpits and pulled her up, they turned her around and she opened her eyes, she was looking at Burrell.

"Good evening Carla, you'll be happy to learn that we have a surprise for you" He said in a smug voice.

"Oh really? Well I love surprises, is it a box of chocolates? Mm, or a bunch of flowers?" Carla took the mic, enjoying the governor's slightly pissed of face in response.

"No, it's much better" He said, turning around the heading away down the corridor.

The guards followed him, pulling her with them.

"Fucking asshole, taking my Willa from me… I will make him suffer, I'll make him wish he was truly fucking dead!" Carla listened in, so she was right, they must have caught Eric, or he handed himself in, but why would he? To save her, probably, though his plan was obviously not apparent yet.

They dragged her down many exactly the same looking corridors, even past the huge cage that Willa had spoken about, though she did not speak to Tara, though she did see her, though Pam was not there. Jessica as also in the cage, the two vampires were staying close to one another.

Jessica in particular looked terrified.

Before long Burrell left them and continued on, while the guards turned down a different route, stopping in front of a door.

They took of her straight jacket and opened the door, pushing her inside.

The room was small, and white, the door was slammed shut behind her. She realised there was another door opposite the one she had entered through.

There was also a single wooden silver tipped stake in a rack on the wall. She assumed she would need it and picked it up.

On the other side of the door in front of her, she could barely hear voices.

Carla placed her ear against it, listening carefully.

"You didn't…" Eric's husky voice said from the other side of the door.

She could have guessed.

"You think that if you turned my angel into the thing I most despise I would just stop my campaign and turn on my principles? I don't change my mind" Burrell's voice sounded over the intercom back to Eric.

There was the sound of one of the doors sliding open.

Then footsteps.

"Alright governor! Give me something… to kill" Eric shouted.

The door in front of Carla began to open and she stepped back, gripping her stake a little tighter.

Eric turned his head to face her, his expression was of part fear and part relief.

Carla walked out towards him, desperately wanting to run into his long muscular arms, but she was more than pissed off with him at that moment.

He had asked her to trust him, she had and he had gone and fucked up supremely.

Eric turned his face back to the silver screen which was obviously a one way mirror, before turning around to face Carla.

He too had a stake in his hand, though his face was sorrowful now, like he felt guilty, or full of regret.

Carla didn't need to say anything. She was close enough to communicate telepathically with him.

"You asked me to trust you, and you fucked us all!" She shouted through their bond.

"What else would you have me do? There was nothing else I could do, keep running? What would that achieve? I was trying to make him see that vampires are not just soulless monsters, they were humans once. But he's too much of a fucking crazy to realise that" Eric shouted back telepathically.

It shocked Carla to begin with, as it was as if he was yelling right in her ear, but she quickly recovered.

"Fine, but then how do you get the fuck out of here?" She asked.

"I don't know… just let me think" Eric replied.

"Haven't you two seen gladiator?! Fucking fight!" A woman barked over the intercom, was that Sarah Newlin? It couldn't have been, but it definitely sounded like it was.

"They want a show, so why don't we give them one?" Carla asked.

Eric tilted his head slightly.

"We don't have to hurt each other, we just have to make it bloody" Carla added.

Eric had a small revelation.

"There are guards posted in the small hatches on the walls, they should be open" Carla glanced away at the hatches he was talking about with her eyes.

"Details?" Carla asked.

"Take one each. I'll kill mine, you pull yours through here. I'll do the rest" Eric explained.

Carla nodded.

"So… you made another vampire" Carla growled, gritting her teeth, an act.

"Yes… I did" Eric replied, raising his stake.

"Give me a leg up" Carla said.

Eric nodded.

Carla ran towards the vampire in vamp speed.

He linked his palms.

She put one foot in his hands and he threw her up behind him at one of the hatches.

She grabbed onto the wall as best she could, as screams erupted from behind her as Eric killed his own guard.

Carla opened the hatch and yanked the man outside to the floor, leaving his gun behind in the hatch.

He fell on his face with an 'oof'.

Carla let go of the hatch, dropping back onto the ground.

She turned around to see Eric using his stake to impale the man into the one way mirror in a shower of blood.

Carla stepped forward as Eric pulled the stake out of his corpse, and the body dropped to the floor.

He then lowered his head to look through the hole that the stake had left behind, it was small, but big enough to see through.

"I see you Steve Newlin…" He growled into the hole.

"It wasn't me!"

Carla heard him squeak from the other side of the panel. "They made me!" He continued.

"Steve Newlin, mark my words, I will fucking kill you!" Carla screamed over at the screen.

Eric turned around.

"Not if I get to him first" Eric said playfully, with a grin.

Carla couldn't stop herself from smiling back at him.

Both doors behind them slide open again. Guards marched in, their guns ready, aiming at them.

Carla and Eric dropped their stakes and raised their hands.

"Eric, what the fuck are we going to do?" Carla asked telepathically.

"I will come and get you, I promise, you'll hear. I'll call Willa, tell her to tell you if she gets summoned, then come and find me" Eric replied. Clearly he guessed that they had spoken.

Carla nodded.

"Be safe" Carla said through their bond.

"You too, lover" He winked at her as they were both dragged out of separate doors by the guards.

* * *

After a few long hours of sitting in her prison cell, Carla began pacing back and forth in front of the door.

"So what did he say again?" Willa asked, becoming anxious.

"He said that he would summon you when he was coming, or when he summoned you I need to find him, or something" Carla said, having repeated it to so much that she had forgotten exactly what he had said to her.

Carla sighed, continuing to pace.

"You really love him, don't you?" Willa asked out of the blue.

"What?" Carla said, barely paying attention.

"I mean, you love him, but he's not the sort of person you want to love, is that right?" Willa asked.

Carla stopped in front of the opening in her door.

"No, I love him because of who he is" Carla said, more trying to convince herself than Willa. She did love Eric, there was no question about that, but he was at times gruesome and highly aggressive and dangerously untrustworthy.

"What will it feel like when he summons me?" Willa asked, leaning against her door.

"Umm, I think I remember Jessica saying it felt like you were going to be sick, so stomach pains, nausea, though my experience of it was different" Carla explained.

"Your experience? You're vampire?" She asked, furrowing her brow.

"No, I'm not, but yes, kind of, I mean, it's complicated and a long story" Carla said by way of a short explanation.

Carla suddenly felt stabbing pains in her stomach.

"What the fuck?!" Carla bent over, holding her stomach.

An image struck into Carla's mind. The picture of Nora in front of someone's eyes, Eric's eyes, she was terrified, her eyes were wide and her breaths staggered.

"Carla?! CARLA?! What's happening? What's wrong?!" Willa called across from the other cell.

"Jag älskar dig, broder" (I love you, brother) the words came from Nora's lips, which were quivering.

"Jag älskar dig, syster" (I love you, sister) the words came from somewhere unseen, from Eric, who Carla was looking through.

The pain went away slower than it had struck her.

Carla straightened back up, one hand on the door supporting herself.

"Carla? What happened?" Willa asked.

Carla took a small gasp.

"It's Eric, something is happening with his sister, something bad, he's fucking terrified" Carla looked across at the other cell.

"Now, listen, Willa, you need to call that guard, the one who took a liking to you, you need to glamour him then we need to go to Eric, right now" Carla explained.

"But… I don't know how to. I was only just born, Eric taught me nothing, plus the guards, they have contacts that prevent glamouring" Willa explained.

"Listen" Carla said, trying to emulate glamouring. "You need to tear the contact out then, use your speed, that comes naturally, doesn't it?"

Carla recalled when she had seen Bill teach Jessica how to glamour, back when they had gone to Dallas.

Willa nodded. "Yeah"

"So you look him right in the eyes, you need to empty yourself, you need to concentrate your mind, get rid of all your emotions. When their face changes and they go neutral, you know you're doing it right, you have control, so just give your commands. But make sure you keep them calm, okay? Sound good? Then get him to let me out then we can have it so he is transporting us somewhere else in the base, but actually we are going to Eric, okay? You think you're ready?" Carla quickly explained, while Willa nodded quickly, a little overwhelmed of course, but this had to be quick, Eric was desperate.

"O-okay, I'll try" Willa said, obviously unsure.

"Now you can't practise on me, because I can't be glamoured, so we're just going to have to jump in the deep end. Call him" Carla said, stepping back from the door.

"Alright… alright" Willa took a deep breath, and put on her innocent smile.

"Excuse me? Mr?" She called up the corridor, in her best sweet voice. "Hello there? You there Mr?" She asked again, the guard stepped around the corner, coming towards the cell.

"What?" He said, holding his gun to his chest.

"Could I please have a word with you, sir?" Willa asked.

Carla could almost imagine her fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Changed your mind, have you?" He asked, coming closer. He was a few inches away from the opening in the door.

"Maybe" Willa giggled.

The man opened the cell door, swinging it open the letting himself in.

"Show me what you've got, baby vamp" The man grinned, there was the sound of wooshing and a small 'oof', then it was quiet for a moment.

"Remain calm, you're alright" Willa's voice came, low and steady.

No other noise.

"Now, you're going to let my friend out of the other cell, then you're going to take us where I tell you, okay?" Willa continued.

"Yes, ma'am" He agreed.

Willa hesitated, there was silence for a few moments.

"Tell him to remain under your influence until you say he is released." Carla whispered over to Willa.

"And you're going to remain under my influence until I tell you otherwise, do you understand?" Willa added.

"Yes, of course" The guard said, in an empty tone.

"Good" Willa answered. "Go on then" she added.

The man stepped out of Willa's cell, and unlocked Carla's one.

Carla stepped out, they had not replaced her straight jacket after she was in the room with Eric, a real mistake.

Willa ran forward and wrapped her arms around Carla, which took her by surprise.

"Oh my god that was fucking terrifying" Willa said, sniffling a little.

Carla slowly wrapped her arms around the girl and patted her back. "Don't worry, you did great" She told her, earning her a smile from the baby vampire.

"My god, you smell good" The baby added.

Carla chuckled.

"Yeah, long story" Carla said.

Willa's fangs snapped out.

"Come on, you need to control yourself otherwise this isn't going to look real" Carla told her. Willa nodded, wiping a bloody tear away from her eye.

"Okay" She retracted her fangs, after a few long moments.

Willa suddenly stepped back from Carla, placing a hand on her stomach.

"Oh" she said, a little surprised.

"What is it?" Carla asked, placing a hand on the vampire's shoulder.

"I don't know. I feel like I've going to vomit" Willa explained.

"That'll be Eric" Carla explained. "Quickly, we've got to go, you'll know where he is" Carla replied.

"Yeah I do... okay, let's go" Willa turned to the human guard.

"Follow us as if you are escorting us, but you're not, understood?" Willa ordered, the guard simply nodded.

"Understood" He muttered soullessly.

Willa walked at a brisk pace around the twisting corridors. She kept her head down, as did Carla, fitting the part quite well.

They came to a door and Willa entered first, Carla and the guard behind.

There it was, a bed that was slanted up right, facing away from them towards a silver cage, this is the place Carla had seen in her mind.

There was a scientist beside the table, looking at the occupant, Nora, probably documenting something.

Carla walked straight up to her and powered her first into the woman's head, she was immediately floored.

Carla met eyes with Eric, who was in the cage.

"Good work" He remarked.

"You should be saying that to Willa, she did most of the work" Carla told him, he nodded.

Willa appeared from behind, her fangs exposed. She was about to tear the arm off the scientist laying on the floor which Carla had knocked out.

"Take her coat off first, then remove the arm" Carla told her.

Willa nodded.

They needed the arm for the security chip that was in it, which allowed the personnel to open the doors around the facility.

Willa looked up at the guard, who was standing at the ready for her orders.

"Open the cage and let this man out, won't you?" She ordered, the guard nodded, heading around to unlock Eric's restraints.

Carla pushed the table Nora was on back, and began undoing her bindings.

She almost fell out into Carla's arms.

"Thank you" She managed to gasp out, breathing heavily.

"What happened?" Carla asked, noticing thick black lines on the vampire's chest, as if something was in her blood vessels.

"I'll explain later" Eric said from behind, now free of his restraints.

Willa ordered the guard to remove his clothes and give them to Eric, who put them on.

Carla helped Nora to stand, supporting her as she seemed incredibly week.

"Pass me the coat" Carla said, taking it from Willa.

She helped Nora to put it on, pulling it over the veins in her neck to cover them.

"You okay to walk on your own?" Carla asked her.

She nodded, though she looked unsure.

"We need to get out of here" Eric said, taking the guard's gun as well and holding it to his chest. "You two walk in front. Nora next to me, we have to find a way out" He added.

"I remember the way they brought me in, I can lead you out the same way" Willa said.

"Okay, you lead, I'll follow" Eric said. He turned to Nora. "You need to keep up, you can't stop, hold this" Eric handed the severed arm to her, she pushed it up her sleeve, making it look like it was her hand.

Nora just nodded.

Carla went for the door, placing her hand around the handle.

"Come on, let's go" He said.

Eric nodded and they all headed out of the room.

Willa ordered the guard to stay there and forget everything that happened.

* * *

Willa led them to a series of locked doors.

Nora used the hand to let them through and they ended up in a small store room for boxes which clearly reading 'True Blood' on the front.

There was a door with a small port hole looking through to the other side.

"I'll be right back" Eric said, glancing around the three of them.

"Hurry" Carla said, glancing at Nora. She did not look well at all, as she leant against the wall.

Within a few short moments Eric was back in the room, closing the door behind him.

"They're putting Hep-V in the blood supply" He said.

"What's Hep-V?" Carla asked.

Nora opened her laboratory jacket and showed her, there were now double the amount of black veins climbing up her neck and the ones that were previously there were now darker.

"Fuck" Carla said.

"Nora…" Willa gasped, holding the severed hand now.

"You two need to go back in and tell the others not to drink the true blood." Eric turned to Carla. "You don't eat anything they give you either"

"Yes" Carla agreed.

Eric helped Nora take of the coat and he handed it to Carla.

She pulled it on and buttoned up the front, pulling it above her prison uniform.

"I need these" Carla took a pair of handcuffs out of the back of Eric's guard uniform, as well as the keys which she dropped into her pocket.

She placed the cuffs on Willa, who hissed has the silver touched her.

"Sorry" She said.

Willa nodded.

"It's fine" Willa said, straightening up her back.

"I will come back for you all" Eric said, assuring them.

"Nog bara går, se Nora är säker och jag kommer att ta hand om din avkomma talet. Jag lovar dig." (Enough, just go, make sure Nora is safe and I will look after your progenys. I promise you.) Carla said back, not wanting Willa to hear.

"Jag älskar dig" (I love you) Eric replied, pulling her forehead to his lips and kissing her.

"Jag älskar dig, älskare" (I love you, lover) Carla replied, smiling. It was lucky that Carla had spent a lot of her spare time over the time she had been free of the barrier learning different languages.

Carla walked around him and used the hand to open the door for him. He picked up Nora in his arms and left.

"Come on, we need to find Pam" Carla said, letting herself out of the place and back into the facility.

* * *

It took them a few minutes of wandering around the solitary confinement rooms to find Pam, who was in the middle of her cell doing yoga.

Carla let herself in with Willa, closing the door behind them so they wouldn't be seen.

"Pam" Carla said, getting her attention.

"Oh hai, Kitty, how's it going?" She said, getting up and sweeping her hair back, looking at the two. "Oh and baby vamp, how sweet"

"They're going to start giving out true blood, but you cannot drink it. It's got Hep-V in it" Willa explained.

"What the fuck is Hep-V?" Pam asked.

"I don't know, but Nora has it. Eric left with her" Carla explained.

Pam paused for a moment, thinking.

"And who else have you told about this?" She asked.

"Just you so far" Carla told her.

"Good, keep it that way, we can tell Tara and Jessica, but fuck the rest" Pam said, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Wait, what? I know that being a charity vampire is almost completely impossible, but don't we want to save our kind?" Willa asked.

"Listen, baby fangs, if every vampire in this whole camp suddenly starts not drinking the true blood, they're going to know that we're on to them" Pam explained.

Carla nodded, she was right.

"The only chance of us not getting infected is if they don't suspect us" She added.

"Alright, fine, you're right" Willa said, huffing quietly.

"We should be going, otherwise they might just think to check my cell" Carla said, turning to Willa.

"Let's go" She said, Willa nodded.

"Caio" Pam said.

"You're welcome" Carla replied.

* * *

Carla managed to get back to their cells within a few minutes, memorizing her way back.

Carla quickly let Willa out of the cuffs and took them, shutting the door behind her.

Suddenly there was heavy footsteps from behind her.

"Freeze!" The guards stopped down the corridor, raising their guns.

Carla slowly turned around, raising her hands.

"Willa, get down" Carla said, making sure that if the guards fired she would not be hit.

"Get down on the floor!" They ordered.

Carla did so, laying on her belly with her hands flat on the floor. She had dropped the severed arm.

The guards fell on her, yanking her arms behind her back aggressively and pulling her to her feet.

"CARLA!?" Willa yelled from her cell, one of the guards slammed their gun against the door.

"Shut up, vamper!" He ordered.

"Don't worry Willa, keep safe!" Carla called back as she was dragged back down the corridor, out of view.

* * *

**Things are about to get a lot more painful for poor Carla, and you guys are probably going to hate more for what i do at the end of this season, i even hate myself for doing it. :P**

**Hope you guys are having a good day, and thank you kindly for reading my fanfic, i myself have just finished watching the season finale, it was the ending that i think Sookie deserved, to be happy and to have a family, though i am upset that Bill didn't get his happily ever after, though i suppose he did in a way.**

**Obviously i will be making a change to Eric's ending, and i hope you guys will like it, but we will have to see.**

**Thanks to all who read, i am honoured that you did, please leave me a review if you wish to tell me what you think of the chapter, i am always super excited to read them.**

**Until next time,**

**-Shad out ;)**


	44. Why?

**Welcome back, i know this chapter is short, i just wanted to get it out in a separate one from the start of the next season, the length will return to normal in the next chapter, they will both probably come out in a pair! Thanks for coming back to read, hope you enjoy ;) **

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty-four - Why?

* * *

Carla sat with her legs folded underneath her, down on her knees, with her arms suspended above her head, with a long chain which was attached to the ceiling, of course, it was made of silver.

Her legs had a thick silver band around them, holding them together and weighing them down so she couldn't move.

There was a thick leather gag around her mouth, preventing her from talking completely.

She let out a long exhale from her nose.

God, this could not be good.

Carla rolled her eyes back into her head, letting her head hang back so her shut eyes were facing up at the ceiling.

She couldn't even comprehend how long she had been locked in here, after she was dragged away from Willa the guards had simply locked her in an unfurnished room, securing her completely and unquestionably.

Carla concentrated, her mind flashing back to how this all began.

Standing up on that stage next to Sookie and Bill that night, looking down at the vampire in his throne.

Pam perched on the back, showing off her assets in her more than flattering outfit.

This was where everything began.

If only Carla could have told herself to keep her damn mouth shut.

No, what was she thinking, the time she had had with Eric was the most thrilling and loving portion of her life, why would she throw that all away, just because she was suffering a little along the way.

She would not throw it away, not for anything.

The door in front her swung open quickly and then proceeded to close with a smash.

"Fucking vamps! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Now Sarah, calm down, take a breath, this cannot stop the operations, as soon as the new true blood goes out on the shelves, it'll get him, eventually. Until then I have exactly the right revenge, perfect. God, the way he looks at her makes me sick, all of them make me sick, it is my duty to wipe them all from the world, they will not taint its surface any longer" Sarah's thoughts were so loud, something must have happened.

Carla could hear the grief in her thoughts.

"Let's get this over with and when he finds her, he'll feel exactly the same way I felt, finding my poor sweet man that way, fucking monsters!" Carla raised her head, looking up at the woman who was standing in front of her, hands shaking, mascara running down her face, mixed in with tears, her hair out of place and fuzzy. Knife held in her hand, her knuckles white from how hard she was clutching it.

"Why did it have to be this way?" Sarah said, in a sobbing tone, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

Carla couldn't reply with the gag tightly held in her mouth.

"Your vampire killed my Truman, tore his head clean off, then rested in standing up just for me to see his evil devil's work!" She screeched down at Carla, as if she could reply.

To be quite honest, Carla knew it would have happened at some stage, but Eric would be with Nora, he wouldn't spare time to go and settle it with Burrell until Nora was cured, or she was dead.

Maybe she was dead? Carla thought for a moment. She really did not look well when she had helped them to escape, come to think of it her body felt warm against hers when she had helped her down from the table, how could she be? Something was definitely very wrong with her. Carla hoped that she had not met the true death, though considering her condition when she had seen her, she would not be surprised if she had.

"I am sad that I do not have the strength to do the same to you, but this will have to suffice" Sarah stepped forward, gritting her teeth, she pressed the blade of the knife against Carla's wrist, just below the bindings.

She paused for a moment.

"Can't do it… Must do it… Won't do it… Avenge him, avenge Truman!" Sarah's thoughts were patchy, unclear, as if she was having a fight with her own conscience.

A few moments went by, Sarah's breaths became more frequent and heavier, but she didn't move the blade.

Carla simply looked up into the woman's eyes, her face calm.

Then the woman brought the blade down her arm, slicing into the flesh, cutting all the way to just below the inside of her elbow on both arms.

Carla bit down on the gag, but made sure to keep her expression calm, not giving the woman the satisfaction of watching her pained expression.

Blood ran down her arms, flooding onto her vest, dripping onto the floor and pooling underneath her.

The muscles in her fingers began to weaken, relaxing from their balled fists, the tips slowly becoming white through lack of blood.

There was a loud clang as the blade dropped from the woman's fingers and rested on the floor in front of Carla, blood droplets falling from the blade and onto the floor.

There was a rustling sound as Sarah reached into her pocket and pulled out a small elongated vial, holding it in front of her eyes between her fingertips.

"Please god, grant me your blessing… they will all die… none of them will be allowed redemption, curse them, curse their imperfection!" She sobbed, unscrewing the top of the vial. She leaned down and picked up the knife with her other hand, dropping the cap of the vial onto the ground.

Sarah cut the gag with the bloodied knife, before throwing the knife to the ground again and pulling the gag away from Carla's face, throwing it to the ground to join the blade.

She pulled the druid's mouth open and poured the contents of the vial inside. Carla couldn't resist the woman's grasp, her arms beginning to lose their colour up to her shoulders.

Carla gulped, to prevent herself from gagging, the liquid had a soothing sensation as it fell into her stomach.

"With you dies the salvation of their species, with you dies their hope, with you dies everything they have left" Sarah muttered, sniffling quietly afterward.

Carla had trouble keeping her eyes open, feeling them getting incredibly heavy. She let out a short breath, feeling her willpower fade.

Sarah turned away, wiping the tears from her eyes and tidying her makeup and her clothes.

She then made for the door, opening it and taking a moment to look back at the woman.

"Goodbye, whore of Satan!" She spat, before stepping out of the door and closing it behind her with a loud click.

Carla sighed, her eyes flickering shut, her skin deathly pale.

So this was it.

The end.

Everything leaving her body, her strength fading, it would be over soon and she would no longer have to worry about living.

She would be with her son, little Eric.

Antonia was right, life is pain, it's a long struggle, with no relief. Until death, the final release, allowing you to rest.

Carla welcomed it, no more trying, no more running and no more fighting.

Only darkness.

Everything faded.

A long, relaxed breath escaped her lips.

At last.

* * *

A faint beep sounded far, far away in the distance, on the horizon.

Carla rolled over, opening her eyes.

"Ma!" A small, excited voice shouted over the quiet sounds in the distance.

Carla blinked, as a picture came into focus.

A small boy looked up at her, looking like he was standing on the wall.

Carla sat up, realising she was laying on soft, wispy grass. It caressed her cheek, waving back and forth in an unnoticeable breeze.

The sun beat down on her, though it was harsh, more like a soft heat, warming the surface of her skin.

"Ma! You're here!" Carla blinked, grinning. She stood up, looking down at the boy.

"Where am I?" Carla asked, looking around the landscape.

Everything had a soft glow to it. Far off in front of her, the trees were tall and spread far out from their trunks, covering everything with a canopy shade underneath it, but the ground still glowed softly even in shade.

Between her and the trees was a long expanse of swaying long grass, filled with wild flowers all in vivid bloom.

Behind her was a vast expanse of ocean. She was stood on the edge of a high cliff, looking over the edge she could see the smooth rocks below being washed over with water, the waves crashing gently over them, no sound was coming from below, only silence, only calm.

Carla turned back around, looking back down at the boy.

"This is it, Ma" He said simply.

She knew what he meant.

"CARLA!" The sound came from somewhere behind her, breaking through like a brick had been thrown at her head.

She raised her hand to touch her temple.

"Ah…" She said, the pain not subsiding.

"It's not your time" The calm, familiar voice spoke up to her.

The person stepped forward, resting a hand on the little boy's shoulder.

He was not that much taller than the boy, but he was centuries older.

Carla looked over her shoulder and then back at the two of them.

"You'll still be here? When I'm done?" She asked, as if she had to ask.

Godric nodded. "Of course" He blinked. "I'll be on the other side as well"

Carla took in a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"AS YOUR MAKER, I COMMAND YOU TO STAY… SHE'LL LOOK AFTER YOU… JUST DON'T… DON'T FIGHT ME!" The voice came again, slamming into the side of her head.

Carla felt a wave of weakness rush over her. She lost her footing, and felt like she was falling, right up until her body slumped down on a hard, cold floor.

"Carla? Wake up!" A female voice shouted down at her.

Carla flicked open her eyes, looking down at her body and then up at the person who had pulled her from the floor up into their lap.

Willa had her head in her lap, looking down into her face.

"Carla, you're healed" Willa said, a smile on her face.

"What happened?" Carla asked, sitting up and looking around the room, a large pool of blood in the middle of the floor and all over her.

"Eric… he gave you his blood and then he said he had to go. I tried to ask what he meant but he ordered me to stay with you and then… then he just took off" Willa tried to explain as quickly as she could.

Carla pushed herself up, getting up on her feet.

"Carla, don't move yet, you're still weak…" Willa tried to keep her still.

Carla pushed her away, getting up on her feet and running towards the door which was still left ajar.

She leant against the door frame, vamping down the corridor before having to stop and lean against the wall, catching her breath, her body still weak.

She heard the sound of Willa vamping after her.

Carla didn't wait.

She noticed a door further along the corridor which led out into the light outside.

Carla pushed herself off the wall, heading over to the door.

She stumbled out into the sun.

Outside the compound she could see all the different buildings which made up the camp.

She glanced all around, falling down onto her knees, her muscles cramping and refusing to go any further until they had regained their full strength.

As she did a three-sixty, she saw no one else around, only the expanse of building and roads leading out of the place.

Willa joined her outside, being able to walk in the sun.

"He's gone" Carla said simply, barely believing herself.

"He's really fucking gone" She repeated, letting out a breath.

Why?

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for all the support ^^**

**-Shad out**


	45. The Path of Self-Destruction

**Welcome back! Please enjoy reading, thanks for your support in coming back to read, hope you enjoy the pair of chapters!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty-five -The Path of Self-Destruction

* * *

Six Months Later

Carla ran her hands down her dress, making sure it was straightened out properly.

The gemmed corset looked expensive, not that she cared. She looked the part, which was the point.

Running down into the silken skirt, blood red, running right down to the floor, the gem pattern following the dress all the way down.

Her hair was pulled back out of her face, curled and falling down the back of her dress like an avalanche of snow, being the right colour for it too.

The makeup on her face was perfectly done, no mistakes or smears to be seen.

The large ruby earrings she was wearing were almost bigger than the piece of skin they were pierced into and hung down heavily on it.

A matching ruby necklace was laid against her pale skin plummeting down towards her cleavage. The small golden pendent with a sparkling ruby in the centre lying between her two bosoms, still visible due to the dress's plunging neckline.

At her wrists, two matching ruby adorned golden bracelets were tight around her wrists, breaking up the vast expanse of her milky skin.

She sighed into the mirror who was looking back at her.

"You're not me" She said into the mirror, which it said back to her.

"What happened to you?" She asked, which it asked her to. As if she knew.

She felt that she had been falling down the rabbit hole for the past six months, there was no right, no wrong, no normal and everything was fucked. She was fucked.

Her phone rung on the dresser, vibrating mercilessly.

"Fine, keep fucking trudging on" Carla growled at herself in the mirror, picking up the phone and pressing the green button on the keypad.

"Yes?" She said. She hadn't bothered to look at the number.

"Ready?" Nicole's voice asked.

"Of course. I'm leaving now" She said, turning around and putting the phone down.

Carla grabbed the car keys from the envelope on the way out, leaving the hotel keys in the hotel room.

She made her way down the steps to the front lobby, taking them two at a time. She avoided the elevator as she knew it had a camera inside, the stairs, however, did not. The hotel manager knew his customers all too well, posh people never took the stairs.

She pushed her way out of the fire exit at the bottom of the final stair, as it was unalarmed, it was a quick and quiet way to exit.

She glanced around the dark car park, looking for any clues that might tell her which car was meant for her.

She raised the keys and pressed the glowing unlock symbol.

There was a few flashes from the other side of the car park.

She headed towards it, the red heavily gemmed stilettos she was wearing making an echoing clopping sound as she headed over to the car.

Upon swinging the door open she ducked down into the driver's side, noticing a black bag in the glove box, which was hanging open.

She pulled the bag out, looking at the contents after she pulled her door closed. The blacked out windows prevented anyone from watching what she was doing.

There was a gun, equipped with silencer inside the purse, though she doubted she would need it. Nicole was her accomplice for the night, she wouldn't miss, she never had when they had been together.

The gun fit perfectly into the matching gemmed red purse that was also in the bag, as well as an invite to the party. Additional to these was a slip of paper with an address, it was the club which was on the other side of the city to the job they were doing tonight, not that it mattered, she could leave the car with the chauffeur and head off on her own, she'd get there before long.

Carla sighed, adjusting her mirrors and gripping the steering wheel tightly for a moment before she inserted the keys into the ignition and backed out of the parking lot to head towards the party.

* * *

Stepping out of the black BMW, she handed her keys to the man who rushed over to chauffeur her car, bowing low in front of her before sliding into the driver's seat.

Carla clutched her purse, putting on her best posh aristocrat smile.

She walked confidently and openly up the red, immaculate carpet that was laid out on the sidewalk and into the building.

She flashed her invite at the man on the door.

He didn't ask for a second glance and just waved her on through.

The confident 'I'm rich and I don't give a fuck' attitude she was using was very effective.

She made her way through all the milling men and women on the first floor, knowing her target was on the second floor.

She took the stairs slowly and elegantly, not wanting to blow her cover.

Carla glanced around the expansive room at the top of the staircase, not seeing her target. He must have not arrived yet. She wandered over to one of the refreshment tables and picked up a tall glass of champagne.

Heading over to the far side of the room, Carla stood with her back facing the wall, pretending to take small sips of her drink, though really, she hated the taste of champagne.

The large grand piano in the corner of the room was emitting a soothing melody, which was barely louder than the voices of the many people speaking in the room, about their blessed lives and pointless business ventures that Carla had less than no interest in.

She was here for one reason.

A group of people made it to the top of the stairs, the group consisting of two women and a muscly, tall man, his voice was deep.

Carla could tell as he was letting out and elongated chuckle at an elevated volume, so loud that she could hear him from the opposite corner of the room.

The women he had, one on each arm, were giggling along with him, both wearing long flowing dresses, with a single leg exposed.

The man may have been well built and masculine, but his face was like the back end of a dog, as if he had been in a few brutal fights.

This was her target.

Though it may prove difficult to get his attention, especially when he already had company.

Sighing, Carla placed her glass down and weaved through the crowd.

"Alright… alright ladies. I'll get the drinks in, just wait over there with your sexy little asses and I'll be right over!" The man let out another deep chuckle, which stimulated high pitched ones from the women, who skipped off as they were instructed.

Carla adjusted her dress, pushing up her breasts even more, and pulling her dress down so it was tight against her ass.

That should do it.

Heading over to the drinks table behind the man, she noticed him leaning over and ordering one of the servers around, telling him what they wanted and where they wanted them brought to.

Carla broadened her smile slightly, walking past the man, close enough to let her hand brush against his behind.

She strode on, towards a pair of open doors which led to a balcony.

She turned her head, to look behind.

He was looking at her, good, being blatantly obvious how he was inspecting her assets shamelessly in a room full of people.

He licked his lips, a smile emerging on them.

Fucking disgusting animal, Carla thought. She continued towards the balcony, sending a wink his way.

He turned and was following her as soon as she did this, his pace quick and reckless, barging into a few people on his way after her.

Carla disappeared onto the balcony, leaning the small of her back against the railing, letting her elbows rest on top, her breasts almost poking above her dress.

The night outside was cold, and the concrete of the balcony was wet, but Carla ignored it.

This job would be done soon, then she could go and collect her reward.

The man burst out onto the balcony, a small commotion erupting from the room he had just left, no doubt from the people he had been pushing out of the way.

His eyes scanned from one side of the balcony around to the other, and then laid on Carla.

A dirty smile sprung to his lips.

He leaned back and pulled the balcony doors shut behind him, good, she wouldn't have to do it.

"Well… well… well, are you here alone tonight, Missy?" The man asked.

She didn't know his name, she had only got a description, and she didn't much care either.

"Veronica" Carla said, smiling seductively. "And no, I'm all alone, Mr?" She pouted her bottom lip out a little.

"Frank, Frank Monroe… you've probably heard of me" He said, licking his lips. "Well that's a shame, a beautiful woman like you shouldn't be out at night on her own" He commented, quite obviously staring right at her breasts.

"Oh really? Why's that, Mr Monroe?" She asked innocently, not moving.

He stepped closer, reaching out one hand and running his fat, rough fingers down from her collar bone towards her cleavage. "There are bad people, who do bad things to beautiful women when they are out by themselves" He explained, stepping closer still. He was almost against her.

Carla had to put all her energy into preventing herself from tearing his hand off right at the wrist.

"Oh really? What type of things?" She asked, biting her lip, more to keep control of her body, otherwise he'd be dead.

He reached forward, pinning her against the balcony rail, about to slip his hand down into her corset, the other holding her in a vice grip around her waist, his lips pressed against hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth.

There was a faint wooshing sound next to her ear, and then the man was on the ground at her feet, thick red liquid flowing from the newly formed hole in his head.

Carla took a deep breath.

Thanks Nicole, could have done that sooner, she thought to herself.

Carla grabbed the man by the scruff of his suit, picking him up with one hand. She turned around and swung her legs over the rail, landing on her feet in the alleyway below, purse and corpse still in her hands.

She opened the lid of the dumpster nearest to her and tossed the man inside, pulling a match from between her breasts. She struck it on the metal and threw it onto his clothes and he caught fire quickly.

Carla reached down, grabbing the bottom of her dress she tore the bottom off it, leaving the dress now ending at the middle of her thighs. She threw her torn section of dress and her purse onto the fire, where it flared and sparked.

She pulled the grip out of her hair, letting it flow freely down her back and she flung that on the fire too, which was now burning quite brightly.

The good thing about the apocalypse was that the city streets at night were barely populated, only vampires went out after dark, and the rich people with their many bodyguards. But everyone else found some form of shelter at night. H-vamps were also common in the city, but they were much weaker than healthy vampires, easy to kill.

Carla morphed, leaving the dumpster to burn, the streets being deserted the law wouldn't find the body until the morning, when all the evidence would be gone.

She spread her wings, beating down incredibly fast, which pushed her up way above the buildings around her.

* * *

Carla rode the updrafts all the way to the other side of the city, touching down on the roof of the vampire club which was on the slip of paper.

She had been here before, though, so she knew the place well. The owner of the club had given her boss lots of bounties.

She let herself in through the door at the top of the stairs, making her way down a few flights before she came to a door.

Carla let herself in.

The man, Jonesy, was what he liked to be called, was sitting in his chair with a small, skinny human in his lap, feeding from her neck.

She was letting out occasional small whimpers and moans, obviously enjoying the whole situation.

Carla realised how familiar it was.

"Jonesy, I'm here for the money, job's done" Carla spoke up, standing in front of the desk.

The vampire let out a low, hearty moan, removing his fangs from the woman's throat for a moment to push a brown envelope over to Carla's side.

Carla picked it up and counted out the money, one, two, three, four, five, six thousand five hundred.

"Where's the rest?" Carla asked, expecting a straight ten thousand, including short notice and danger pay.

"The rest follows when I see the news in the paper. I'll have it dropped to your boss" He muttered, licking the liquid of his lips and swallowing down the remnants.

"That wasn't the deal" Carla narrowed her eyes at the man.

The girl got up from the vampires lap, heading for the door and closing it behind her as she left.

"The deal is whatever I make it, my money, I decide" He said, getting up and straightening his tie in the reflection of the window behind, which looked out onto the club.

"I beg to differ, the deal is already decided and set, you cannot fucking change the variables now" Carla growled.

The vampire shot around the other side of the desk, slamming Carla against the wall behind her, his hand clutched around her throat.

"I can do whatever the fuck I like" He hissed back, his fangs still prominent, he leaned forward, taking a long smell of her. "Fuck, you smell delicious" He added.

Carla grabbed his wrist and twisted.

He cried out in pain and let her go.

She flung him around, slamming his back against the wall, raising her hand, placing it around his throat and raising him off the ground.

He reached up and grabbed her wrist, trying to get her to let go.

She didn't budge.

"Money, by tomorrow evening, or I'll be coming for you next" She told him, her voice threatening. "Understand?" She asked.

He nodded, still trying to pull her hand away from his neck.

"Good" Carla let him down, taking in a sharp breath through her nose, she caught something.

She took another inhale.

The vampire righted his suit after she had roughed him up.

"What?" he said, referring to her sniffing.

Carla shook her head.

"Nothing, I'll be back tomorrow night, see you then, Jones" She saw herself out, the wad of cash in the envelope still in her hand, she also helped herself to the pack of cigarettes which was laying on the vampire's desk.

What she had actually smelled on Jones was one all too familiar these days. He had Hep-V.

She'd have to tell her boss, of course, in the morning.

* * *

She wandered down the steps and into the heart of the club, weaving her way through the crowd of writhing bodies, swaying to some heavy thumping music. Carla pushed her way past most of the half pissed mostly high revellers, heading out of the front past the bouncers and walking towards her home.

Carla pulled one of the cigarettes out of the box and used the lighter than was also inside to light the end, sucking the smoke into her lungs and then out a few seconds later from her nose. The end of the cylinder glowing dimly in the darkness.

A neon light caught her eye and she glanced up at it.

'The end is coming, make peace' Carla sighed, taking another drag and continuing to walk.

It had been six months. Six months and it still stung as much as it did before.

He just left, not a word, not a second glance, nothing.

Carla felt strangely like a single mother, but of the undead kind.

She crossed the road and continued down another block, the sidewalk was completely quiet. All of the street lights smashed, as it was the rougher side of town, all the houses were boarded up or completely devoid of windows and doors, having been ransacked.

Carla raised the cigarette to her lip, took another drag and blew it out up into the air.

Choosing not to go back to Bon Temps was probably the best idea, considering how reckless and uncontrollable she had become.

Carla looked down at the white cylinder in her fingers. She threw it to the ground and threw the packet after it.

She paused for a moment, running both hands through her hair, letting out a long misty sigh that puffed out into the night air.

She closed her eyes tight, trying to remember a time when she wasn't so fucking crazy, when she didn't kill people without a second thought. She reminded herself of Eric, fuck that.

There was a growling in front of her, a few paces ahead, followed by a hissing.

Carla flicked her eyes open, seeing clearing the vampire a few metres from her, its eyes on her, it's skin riddled with black veins snaking around its chest and up towards its head.

Without conceived thought on her part, Carla flicked her wrist, spreading her palm.

White light spread from her digits and struck the vampire.

He cried out painfully, his eyes dilating.

Carla rotated her wrist slowly and the light intensified, causing the vampire to burst into gloop.

'He was going to be dead soon anyway' She told herself in her head before shaking it.

It wasn't about that, her psyche was completely confused, where she had previously had remorse, it was gone, any concept of right and wrong, had also left the building long ago.

She morphed, rushing her way home, just wanting to rest. After using her light she always felt drained.

It took only a few minutes to find her way, the only place she could actually get a house with a vampire in residence and they weren't accepted in any form of accommodation in the north of the city.

She pulled the small key to the front door out from between her breasts, having no pockets was the main issue with dresses in general.

She turned it in the lock and let herself in, slamming it behind her and flicking on the lights.

Willa must still be out.

She walked down the corridor and into the front room, kicking off her high heels and let herself fall onto the couch. Resting her feet on the arm, the room was barely lit, but that was best, if you had your lights on full blast in the south, looters targeted you.

She shut her eyes, shuffling until she was comfortable on her side, pulling her legs up to her chest.

Her muscles relaxed slightly, but not fully, they never seemed to nowadays.

Carla let a slow breath out through her nose as her mind slowly shut down for the first time in a few months.

* * *

Carla stood under a geyser of burning water, the heat pounding into her flesh, pushing out the chill that hovered around her.

Her white hair was drenched, flat against her sodden skin. She held her eyes closed, letting the water run over her.

Without her consent, her arm reached up and switched off the water. She turned around, opening the shower doors in front of her.

She stepped out, her eyes still closed, as there was water over her eyelids.

She stepped forward, reaching out for the towel rack.

Instead her hands touched something that felt nothing like the towel rack, more like a soft silken fabric.

She ran her hands over it, bringing her hands together in the centre of the object she felt soft, chilled skin underneath her hands.

Carla felt the soft touch of hands on her face, one either side of her head, and thumbs running across her eyelids, swiping away the water.

She opened her eyes.

Of course it was him, it was always him.

Carla let a short sigh escape her lips, which then smiled.

The vampire smiling back at her.

He leaned forward, backing her up into the sink, pressing his lips on hers.

Carla's responded, moving with his, high pitched and muffled moans escaping her lips.

His fangs appeared with a soft snap and a scratching sensation of Carla's top lip.

"Eric... you're such a tease!" Carla said, without her permission.

She would really be asking him why he left her, what she did to deserve it, what had happened to him…

Eric responded by growling at her deeply, picking her up and resting her bum on the edge of the sink, spreading her legs with one hand and pulling her up to wrap her legs around his waist.

His size poking out from under his pants, touching her entrance, requesting entry.

Carla laced her arms around the vampire's neck, holding supporting herself on him, his hands were under her ass, holding her up also.

She let out a slight gasp, pulling away from his lips, releasing her fangs.

Eric laid her on her back on the floor of the bathroom, laying between her legs, having lost his clothing. He slowly entered her, letting her savour the experience.

Her muscles quivered due to the pure pleasure, letting out a long moan, her back arching involuntarily.

He grinned, placing a hand on her cheek, looking straight into her eyes, before resting his forehead above her sternum, letting out a low growl of pleasure as he began thrusting into her.

* * *

Carla was shocked awake, but seemingly by nothing.

She sat up, looking around the room.

No sign of anything amiss, though she knew what it was when her eyes laid on the light figure sitting on the other sofa opposite to her.

Carla reached over to the table in the middle of the room, grabbing the pill box there.

Before she could pull it back towards her, the man, who looked more like a boy, was resting his hand on hers, holding it there with great strength.

"Carla…" His voice said, looking down at her.

"Godric, let go" She said back. "Fuck, what am I saying, you're not real"

Carla closed her eyes, repeating herself. "You're not real, you're not real, it's not real!" She held her eyes tightly closed, refusing to believe it.

"Carla, please, listen to me, I haven't been wrong since I first appeared to you. You need to go back, you need to find him, he needs you, now more than he has ever needed you before. He is lost and you are the only light in the gloom, you are the ying to his yang. Find him" Godric explained in his calm voice, almost angelic in tone.

"No!" Carla kept her eyes closed, refusing to listen. "It's over, he left me! It's done!" Carla still had her hand trapped.

"Answer the phone!" He ordered.

There was a swift sound of a key turning in the lock of the door and then the door closed quickly after it was opened.

"Carla?!" The voice called.

Carla opened her eyes, and pulled the pillbox to herself, grabbing one of the sheets, popped two of the pills out and held them in her palm.

"I'm here, Willa" Carla said, getting up and heading out to the hallway.

The baby vamp was still at the door, satchel over her shoulder. She pulled it off and dropped it beside her.

Carla headed further down the corridor and into the kitchen, turning on the tap and filling a glass of water for herself.

Lucky that they had gotten one of the only houses left with a good water supply.

Willa was behind her in an instant.

"What's that?" She asked.

Carla opened her hand, about to throw the pills into her mouth.

"You know exactly what these are" Carla turned to face the vampire.

She quickly knocked the pills out of her hand and down the drain.

Carla sighed, putting down her glass and watching the pills disappear down the plug hole.

"Those were my last two" Carla looked up at the vampire, not angry, she couldn't be angry with her.

Willa was just too caring, it got annoying sometimes.

"You should actually listen to him, you're not sick, you're blessed" Willa said, her gaze intense.

Carla leaned over the sink.

"I don't want to hear it" she replied.

"I don't care, someone needs to make you listen, and if you won't listen to him, then maybe you'll listen to me" Willa said. "He wouldn't be bothering you if it wasn't important" She assured the druid.

Carla sighed, she was right.

"Fine, but where the fuck do I start, he could be anywhere, it's been six months" Carla straightened her back out.

"Well, what did he say?" Willa asked, putting her hands on her hips.

There was a loud ringing from upstairs, so loud that it could be heard clearly all the way down in the kitchen.

Carla looked at the staircase and then the Willa.

She headed upstairs, and into her room, the mobile phone buzzing and ringing loudly on the floor, the caller ID said in bold: 'SOOKIE'.

Carla leant down and picked it up in her hand.

"'Answer the phone'" She repeated, it was what Godric had said, one of the things he had said.

"Do it!" Willa ordered.

Carla opened the old cell phone, one of the flipping ones, and placed it to her ear.

"Sookie?" Carla said quietly.

"Carla… Hi" Sookie replied on the other end, her voice quaking, something was wrong.

God it'd been awhile since she'd heard that voice.

"What's wrong?" Carla asked, looking at Willa, who was watching her.

"It's… it's hard to explain… over the phone" She sobbed, taking a moment to sniffle.

"Okay… Where are you?" Carla asked.

"In the kitchen…" She gasped. "Can you please come over?" She added, after a brief pause.

"Of course I can" Carla said, knowing that it had to be important, otherwise Sookie wouldn't ask. "It'll be a little while, but I'll get there by tomorrow lunch time" She said, blinking at Willa. She nodded, a little smile on her face.

"O-Okay, just don't come here during the night, it's not safe…" Sookie explained.

"Alright, I understand, I'll be bringing Willa with me, see you tomorrow" Carla said.

"See you" Sookie said, sniffling before she put the phone down.

"What now?" Carla sighed, lowering the phone from her ear.

"See where this road takes us" Willa said, shrugging.

* * *

**Please leave me some feedback! I love reading it! It inspires me to keep writing more, knowing that you guys enjoy it and come back to read more when I publish!**

**Have a great day, and i hope to see you back next time!**

**-Shad out ;)**


	46. It's Dead

**Welcome back, enjoy!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty-six - It's Dead

* * *

Carla rolled onto her back, her eyes wide open.

She hadn't slept, which she was pretty happy about, considering what happened when she closed her eyes.

Carla sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she glanced down at her phone, pressing the button and the screen blazed into life, telling her it was half nine in the morning.

She pushed herself up onto her feet and headed through to the landing, taking the stairs two at the time, and then doing the same with the basement stairs, flicking the light on and making her way over to one of her gun shelves.

Even though Sookie had said nothing about any risks, Carla knew there was no harm in taking them, just in case.

She unclipped a couple of pistols, a single shot gun and a number of stakes, as well as a good number of bullet boxes resting them all in a black canvas bag.

She pulled it over her shoulder, heading back up the stairs, and through the kitchen into the garage.

She opened one of the back doors, laying the bag on the seat and slammed the door closed.

Walking around the back of the truck, she opened the boot, stepping back as the door opened upwards.

Willa was in the back, the windows were specially made to keep out harmful UV rays, so she was safe.

Carla pulled the blanket that the vampire had kicked off and laid it over her.

Obviously she didn't need it, temperature didn't affect her, Carla was just being unnecessarily motherly.

She slammed the boot shut again, making her way back into the house, she headed back up the stairs, grabbing a shower.

* * *

Carla pulled on her underwear, as well as a pair of shorts, the hem was rough and had loose threads, due to their age.

Matching her equally old and worn shirt that buttoned up in the middle, she tightened her belt, and pulled on her trainers, tying the laces.

She then grabbed her phone, which oddly, began ringing in her palm.

Carla saw the number, her boss.

She was planning to see him before she left, maybe now she wouldn't have too.

"Yes?" She said, the phone at her ear.

"Carl, baby, you've been holding out on me, I haven't heard from you or Nick, how'd it go?" Carla's boss, Shane, was a bit of a womaniser, meaning he had eyes for anything with a vagina between its legs that breathed.

"It went fine, the guy's dead, I went to check on Jones afterwards. He held out some of the money, so you'll have to put someone else on it, I'm taking a holiday" Carla explained, preventing him from complaining before she had finished.

"What? C, we discussed this, a week's' notice before you go disappearing" He said, this tone full of mock sadness.

"Yeah, well, I haven't taken any holiday for the whole time I've been in your employment, so I think I deserve some slack, or I can just quit, whatever you like" Carla walked over to the wardrobe, pulling out another canvas bag from the top shelf and putting it on the bed, opening it up.

The man on the other end of the phone sighed.

"Fine, but no more than a week, and call me when you're back on if you come back early, and where's the money?" He asked.

Carla turned back around to the wardrobe and threw some clothes into the bag, along with some underwear and some clothes for Willa.

"I'll leave it at the house, you have a key, you come and get it" Carla said, zipping up the bag and throwing it over her shoulder. She went to the bedside table and picked up her house keys as well as the truck keys and her purse.

"Fine, I get a hold of Nick and tell her to get the money and then pick up the rest on the way back, did you rough him up and try to get the rest?" He asked.

"Of course, I gave him till tonight, early" Carla said, heading down the stairs again.

"Atta girl" Shane chuckled.

Carla cringed. He couldn't be more of a slime ball.

"And Shane, Jones has Hep-V, so I'd cut ties with him after this job" Carla told him, walking through to the garage.

"And how would you know? I saw him two nights ago and he had no veins, looked pretty fucking healthy to me" Shane grumbled.

"Have I been wrong yet?" Carla asked him, knowing he couldn't say she had been.

Shane huffed, pissed off.

"Then I'd cut off ties with him, no more jobs, especially since he's not paying up" Carla opened the side door on the other side of the truck in the garage, throwing the bag inside.

"Did you tell him?" Shane asked, as if she would, the fucker tried to kill her.

"He tried to fucking strangle me, for all I care, I hope he fucking turned into a pool of sludge, slowly and painfully" Carla unlocked the garage from her side of the door, pushing it up and open.

"You better hope to fuck he doesn't know, if he does then there's no way I'm gettin' my money, especially from a man with nothing left to lose" Shane said, meaning that if Jonesy knew he was a dead man, he wouldn't bother paying up.

"Just send Nick, she's a fucking psycho, she'll get it out of him, whether he knows he's a dead man or not" Carla said, swapping ears and getting inside the truck, pushing the key into the ignition, it was still a little dark outside, but the sun was obviously up behind the gargantuan row of run down houses in front of the garage, providing some light.

"Oho ho, I wouldn't go saying that around her" Shane commented.

"Yeah, well, she fucking knows it, she prides herself off it, I doubt she'd be that offended" Carla edged the van forward, giving her enough room to shut the garage, then she got out, leaving the driver's door open the closed the garage, locking it tight.

"Carla, come back quick. I've got a great job for you, and I don't want anyone else on it, in fact, he asked for you personally, after that unfortunate accident where Senator Finch fell onto that kitchen knife…. A few times" Shane replied, reminding her of the rampage she went on for the first few weeks after the camp.

Willa had managed to reign her in slightly, but not completely.

"Yeah, fine, I'll get in touch" Carla muttered, putting the phone down and dropping it in her pocket and getting back in the car, heading off out of the city.

New Orleans had definitely become a shit hole, Carla decided, putting her foot down.

* * *

Carla turned the corner, pulling up the drive and pulling the handbrake up.

She looked up at the house, letting out a sigh.

Back here again, after everything, full circle.

The house was still beautifully white, the paint still pristine, though one of the windows on the upper floor had been repainted and was more white than the rest.

Even in the afternoon shade, it looked good as new.

Carla opened her door, slamming it shut. She looked up at the sky, still a few hours before Willa would be able to come out. She pressed the lock doors button on her keys and walked up the driveway and onto the porch.

She knocked on the door, her knuckles tapping on the wood rhythmically.

No answer.

Carla looked through the window at the side of the door, squinting through the net curtain that covered it.

No one inside, by the looks.

She tried the door knob, and of course, it was locked.

Carla morphed, taking a moment to stretch out her front legs, spreading her paws, and then into her back legs.

It had been a long car journey.

She then traced around the porch, catching Sookie's scent, and another one… a wolf.

Carla followed both the scents, as they seemed to be headed in the same direction, though the wolf's one was fainter than Sookie's.

Emerging from the other side of the graveyard, the familiar shape of Bill's house appeared, just as grand as always. The sun still laying on the paint gently, though not to strong.

The scent continued to the front door and Carla morphed back into her normal form, taking a quick breath.

'Alright, just act natural, like you used to act' Carla told herself, raising her balled fist, ready to knock.

She rapped on the door and there was a voice from the other side, of course it was Sookie's.

"Hello? Who is it?" She asked.

Carla opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again, not sure how to reply.

'You're ridiculous, just say 'It's Carla, can I come in?' This isn't acting natural!' Carla told herself in her head.

Suddenly the door opened, and Sookie flung herself out, wrapping her arms around Carla, who blinked in surprise.

Sookie must have heard her thoughts.

Carla slowly raised her arms, patting Sookie on the back slowly.

"Hey" she said, smiling a little, she had missed the blonde fairy.

She hadn't realised the fairy was crying, literally sobbing onto her shirt.

"Hey… hey… What's wrong?" Carla managed to unhook the fairy from her, so she could look her in the eyes.

Her mascara was running and her face was screwed up, actually sobbing about something, what the hell could have happened?

"It's Alcide, Carla… He's dead" Sookie sobbed out.

"What do you mean? How?" Carla asked, confused.

"I need…. A moment…" Sookie said, wiping away her tears, sniffling. "Come on in and sit down. I'll go and clean myself up"

Carla did so, shutting the door behind her and making her way into what she remember to be the lounge, which still was.

Carla walked over to the fire place, looking down at the ashes in the grate, then up and around the room.

Just as she remembered it.

Moments later Sookie walked back into the room, a tissue held tightly in her hand, sniffling a little, but her makeup was cleaned off her face.

"What's all this about then?" Carla asked.

"A few nights ago we were attacked by H-vamps at a barbecue we were holding at the BBG" Sookie began.

"BBG?" Carla asked, obviously she had been away too long.

"Oh… right, Sam sold his bar to Arlene, so now it's Bellefleur's Bar and Grill, or the BBG for short" Sookie said.

"I see" Carla smiled encouragingly, the gesture coming naturally when she was around Sookie for some reason.

"Well, after that the town's folk just got all restless, they took some of us back with them, Kevin, Jane, Arlene and Holly… and Sam's wife, who's pregnant" Sookie explained.

"Damn…" Carla muttered.

"We lost Tara" Sookie added.

"Shit, is Pam okay?" Carla asked.

"I haven't seen Pam or Eric in the last six months, they disappeared when Willa and you did" Sookie explained.

"Okay… sorry, continue" Carla replied.

"Well, I had a fucking stupid stupid idea to use my blood to lure these H-vamps out, by sitting out in the woods, with Bill, so they could take me back to wherever they're hiding out and then Bill could find us all" Sookie continued.

Carla nodded.

"And I didn't tell Alcide, because I didn't want to put him in danger… anyway… the vampires came after me and they almost killed Bill, but Alcide and Sam saved him, Jason, Violet, Jessica and Andy were also there, but Alcide got shot… Right in the head and I just couldn't go through what I went through with Tara… So I let him go…" Sookie finished, starting to cry again.

Carla stepped forward, hugging the fairy close to her. "Shh… Shh… it's okay…" Carla soothed.

"I'm sorry Sookie, were you two… an item?" Carla asked.

Sookie nodded against Carla's chest, sniffling and sobbing.

"I'm so sorry" Carla kissed the woman's scalp, holding her close, though her and Alcide had once had a 'thing' Sookie hadn't known about it, and it was probably better that she didn't, especially now.

"You're really muscly" She commented, looking at Carla's arms.

Carla laughed at her strange and out of place comment.

"Yeah, my new job is physically demanding" Carla explained.

Sookie blew her nose into the tissue, standing up straight.

Carla unlaced her arms from around the woman.

"So, did you just ask me here to give you a hug?" Carla asked, smiling.

"No…" Sookie said, blowing her nose again.

"I mean I am more than happy to be your shoulder, I didn't mean…" Carla trailed off, she knew Sookie knew what she meant.

"I know, we need your help to get the rest of them back before it's too late" Sookie explained.

"Okay… So you know where they are?" Carla asked.

"They had Holly with them when they came after me, I managed to unglamour her, and they're in Fangtasia" Sookie added.

"How many of us are there?" Carla asked, glancing up the stairs.

"Bill's here… and Jessica, her boyfriend, James. Sam's coming… Jason, his girlfriend, Violet, obviously me and plus whoever Bill can rake in, they are meant to be arriving at nightfall" Sookie listed.

"Against how many?" Carla put her hands on her hips, inspecting the odds.

"At least twenty, but we can't really tell, there are a lot of them" Sookie answered.

"I understand why you called me, then" Carla smiled. "I'd be happy to help you, after all, I did promise"

"What about Willa? You said you were bringing her with?" Sookie enquired.

"That's up to her" Carla replied. "I'm happy with whatever she decides, she's her own person"

"Alright" Sookie nodded, letting out a sigh. "Thank you"

"No need, I promised" Carla smiled.

"So, have you seen Eric since…?" Sookie asked.

"No, and that's for the better… After what happened at the camp, he just left." Carla explained.

"That camp, Governor Burrell's? Bill wrote a book about that" Sookie said.

"Yeah, I saw it, I just don't need to relive memories I want to forget" Carla explained, looking down at her watch.

It read half past six, she looked back up at Sookie.

"I better go a let Willa out of the truck, I'll be back in a mo" Carla said, heading for the door, the sun had disappeared from the sky, and it was now dark, but the house was well lit with outside lights.

"Alright, we'll be here" Sookie said. "And Carla?"

Carla turned around, "Yeah?" She said back.

"It's good to see you, I missed you" Sookie smiled.

"I missed you too Sookie, I only wish it were under better circumstances" Carla replied.

Sookie nodded.

* * *

Carla jogged back over to the other side of the cemetery, pulling her car keys out of her pocket and unlocking the car via central locking.

The boot of the car opened without her touching it, and Willa let herself out, stretching.

"Hey" Willa yawned.

"Hi" Carla smiled, opening the back doors and pulling out the canvas bag she had put the guns it, slinging it over her shoulder. "Good sleep?"

"Of course, slept like a corpse, as always" Willa shrugged, shutting the boot. "Did you speak to Sookie?"

"Yeah, she lost her boyfriend, and our friend and my old boss's wife have been kidnapped by H-vamps who are holed up at Fangtasia. So I agreed to help them tonight, trying to get them out" Carla explained.

"Okay… and Eric?"

"He's not here, she hasn't seen him for over six months"

"But you said Godric said…" Willa began.

Carla interrupted.

"Maybe because that isn't Godric" Carla rolled her eyes. "It's my own far gone fucked up psyche, I'm nuts. I think it's time to face it, I have lost my fucking mind" Carla sighed, closing her eyes for a moment.

Willa was silent.

"Look, Sookie asked if you would help, but I said I'd leave it down to you, I don't speak for you" Carla rubbed her temples.

"Of course I will help" Willa sighed. "I owe you everything Carla, if it wasn't for you, I'd probably be dead, you're more of a maker than Eric was"

Carla chuckled to herself.

"What?" Will asked.

"If we see Eric again, be sure to tell him that" Carla joked. "He always did hate it when I was better than him at something"

Willa smiled. "I will"

"Let's go" Carla said, shutting the back door of the car and clicking the door's locked.

* * *

Carla knocked on the door for the second time of the night, but this time it was someone completely different who answered the door.

"Bill" Carla said, greeting him.

"Carla, it's good to see you well. Sookie said you'd be here soon" He moved back away from the door, allowing them in. "And who's this?" Bill asked, obviously he had not met Willa.

"This is Willa" Carla said, coming inside. Willa close behind her. "She's offered her help for tonight"

"She is not your progeny, I am guessing?" Bill's eyes were curious.

"No…" Carla smiled, glancing at Willa.

"I'm Eric's progeny, but he left me with Carla" Willa chimed in.

Bill nodded. "I see, anyway, I thank you for your help tonight" Bill smiled.

"It's not a problem" Willa replied.

"Carla!" Jessica's familiar voice called from the top of the steps, less than a second later she was hugging Carla tightly. "Oh my god! I thought you'd died! It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too Jessica" Carla replied, patting the vampire's back and little more hesitantly than she was doing to her.

Jessica pulled back just to speak to her face to face.

"Thank you so much for what you said, I mean after the authority, you helped me make the right choice. Bill's back to normal now" Jessica was grinning widely.

"As I can see" Carla smiled. "Anytime, really" She nodded.

There was another knock at the door and Bill went to open it.

"Violet, Jason, won't you come in?" Bill stepped back.

Jason stepped in.

Followed by a female vampire, tall with brown hair. She was pretty, her body was flawless and athletic, wearing a pair of tight red pants and a lace black blouse.

Jason looked up when he saw Carla, stepping forward.

"Carla! Oh my god…" He began, but was interrupted by the vampire.

"And who is this, Jason? You never told me about a Carla?" She looked between Carla and Jason, her face almost hateful, when only a moment ago it was completely neutral and calm.

"She's a friend of my Sister, used to be her house mate, now can you please calm down?" Jason retaliated.

Violet suddenly changed her expression completely, a smile crawled onto her face and she extended her hand.

"Hello, I'm Violet, it's nice to meet you. I am always welcoming to a friend of my sister" She grinned wildly.

Carla raised one eyebrow, and glanced at Jason, who shrugged slightly.

Carla shook the vampire's hand.

"Nice to meet you" She said, taking away her hand as quickly as she could to avoid offending the vampire.

"Carla, listen, about the stuff I said before, last time we talked, I didn't mean it. I was completely crazy, like you said, from the concussion and I was seeing my dead parents and they were being really racist and I just thought I was losing it and-"

Carla raised her hands. "It's fine, honestly, it's in the past, forgiven and forgotten"

"O-okay, good to hear, are you guys coming tonight?" Jason asked.

"Yeah. Sookie called me, said she needed my help, so here I am" Carla smiled.

"And who's…?" Jason indicated Willa.

"Oh, I'm Willa. Carla's my guardian" She explained with a smile.

"Nice to meet ya', you heard the names, but I'm Sookie's brother" He smiled back.

"Hi" Willa nodded.

"Well, if you'll all take a seat in the living room. I am sure the others will be here soon, if you'll just wait" Bill chimed in.

They all filed into the lounge.

Carla waited until last, standing in front of the fireplace, dropping her bag on the table, placing all her weapons out, loading them and placing them in a line.

"Are you with law enforcement now then?" Jason asked, inspecting her arsenal.

"Not quite" Carla glanced up, chuckling.

"Then what?" Jason asked, sitting down on the sofa, opposite Willa who was also on a sofa.

"I'd rather not talk about it" Carla turned back to loading her guns and Jason went silent. The less he knew, or anyone for that matter, the better.

Sookie entered the room moments later, sitting next to her brother.

"Hey Sook, feeling any better?" Jason asked her.

"I don't think I'm going to be feeling better for a while Jason, but don't worry about me" She replied in a sad tone, obviously her and Alcide had been close.

Carla sat back on the hearth, crossing her legs.

Bill opened the lounge doors, letting another two vampires in.

Jessica's boyfriend joined them, a pretty vampire with brown hair to his shoulders, they looked good together.

Sam follow them in, leaving the door open.

He looked down at Carla.

"Hello Carla, I didn't expect to see you here" He admitted.

Carla smiled, something she had been doing a lot very recently, and it felt like she hadn't done it in a long time.

"Sookie called, said she needed my help, so here I am, it's good to see you Sam" Carla stayed sat down.

"Yeah, if only the circumstances were better" Sam sighed, obviously worried for his wife and child.

Carla would be too in his position.

"This is it" Bill said, looking around the people in the room.

"How many are there, do we know?" Violet spoke up.

"Fifteen to twenty, it's hard to tell" Sookie replied.

"Alright" Jason stood up. "This is our group and there's no question of if, we have to get them out of there tonight, our friends need us, and we're here for them" He had his own shotgun with him. "This is our Normandy! Who's with me?!" He raised his fist.

Everyone was silent.

Carla grimaced, looking up at Jason and then around the room, and back to Jason.

Awkward…

"….What?" Jason asked, unsure why they were all silent.

Jason was nice, and he meant well, unfortunately he wasn't the brightest star in the sky…

"Jason… we suffered over two-hundred-thousand allied casualties in Normandy… the beaches were stained with blood for years afterwards…" Bill explained awkwardly, but understandingly.

Jason paused for a moment, scratched his head and sat back down on the couch.

"Well… history's a bitch" He muttered.

Suddenly there was a heavy knock on the door.

Carla stood up and picked up her guns, as well as a stake for herself, holstering two pistols on herself, the stake in her belt as well as giving pistol and stake to Willa.

"Anyone who wants a pistol, feel free to take it if you know how to use it, stakes are for anyone" Carla said.

Bill wandered off to answer the front door.

Most took a pistol for themselves.

Carla looked up as the front door was pulled open.

She saw Bill's jaw physically slightly drop.

"Pam tells me you wrote a book in which you claim to not be an asshole anymore"

No.

Not him.

Carla looked down at Willa, who was looking up at her.

"Would this be true, Bill?"

Carla vamped over the coffee table, stopping opposite the door.

She laid her eyes on him.

The one fucking person who threw her into chaos, her stabiliser, the ying to her yang.

He looked up at her.

His eyes softened.

Carla's body worked on its own.

She reached behind her back, pulled her pistol out and aimed it at his head.

Bill stepped back away from the door, obviously wanting to keep out of it.

Pam was standing behind Eric, but Carla was completely focused, she didn't even notice her.

Carla stepped forward, right out of the door and pressed the muzzle of her gun against his forehead.

"Carla…" He breathed.

"SHUT UP! DO NOT FUCKING SPEAK TO ME, YOU DON'T GET TO SPEAK TO ME!" She screamed in his face, her eyes streaming.

He didn't move, as if accepting his fate. He closed his eyes, as if he was ready for it to end.

Pam tried to step forward.

Eric raised his hand, as if he felt her move, to stop her.

She did so.

Carla's eyes ran down the vampire's chest, to the part that was visible, there she saw the black lines, exactly the same as the ones she had seen on Nora so long ago, the same as every vampire with Hep-V, not to mention that smell, the smell they all had.

Willa's arms were around her, her hand on Carla's arm. She lowered the gun.

Willa wrapped her arms around the druid, holding her head on her shoulder.

Carla sobbed into the vampire's shoulder.

Willa stroked her hair, as she had done whenever Carla had woken up screaming, having her hallucinations of Godric, which were sometimes very intense.

Eric opened his eyes, looking down at his progeny holding Carla.

"Come on, calm down" Willa told her.

Carla took in a deep breath, closing her eyes and straightening herself up.

"Oh I'm calm" Carla said, her face completely neutral, her shell repaired.

She had become strangely like Eric when she had first met him, but she didn't realise this.

Carla stepped back, turning around, all the inhabitants of the house where now in the porch, looking at her.

"I need a moment with Willa" Eric spoke up.

"Do you want a moment with him, Willa?" Carla asked.

This earned her an intense look.

Carla returned it with a dead look.

"Not particularly, but I doubt I have a choice, especially when he can still order me" Willa walked back into the house and into Bill's study.

Carla followed her.

Eric following last.

Pam stayed out.

Carla sat on Bill's desk, avoiding Eric's gaze.

Willa stood near the door, opposite her maker.

"So, what's happening tonight?" Eric asked, looking between them both.

"That's nothing to do with you, what did you want to talk about with me?" Willa asked.

"Well first, I want to talk about this" Eric said arrogantly.

"Well then, I don't have time" Willa said trying to avoid the question.

"Don't make me order you" Eric said, low and threatening.

"Fine, me and Carla are helping the rest of them to get some of the town's people out of Fangtasia, where some H-vamps are holding them" Willa explained in short.

"Interesting…" Eric said. "And you are storming the entrance, I suppose?"

"Of course" Carla spoke up. "There's no other entrance, now, is there?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Well there is, and it's apparent you'll be needing my help" Eric crossed his arms across his chest.

"Oh no" Carla got up, walking straight over to the vampire. "We're doing this on our own, and after we are done, then you can speak to Willa about whatever you want, then you'll walk right back out of our lives, because we haven't needed you for a long time and that will not be changing"

Eric looked down into her eyes.

She returned the gaze with ferocity.

"Your eyes are so full of hate, what happened to you Carla? What made you so hateful?" Eric asked, as if he didn't know, what a fucking asshole.

"You did." She snarled.

He raised his hand, about to put it on her cheek.

Carla's own hand shot up, she held his wrist, keeping the hand away from her face.

"Don't fucking bother, it's dead and it died long ago" Carla said outright.

She dropped his wrist and stepped around him out of the room, out of the house and out to the cars where the others were waiting.

Of course what she had said had fallen on deaf ears.

Eric came out anyway, getting in the other car with Pam, while Willa shuffled in next to Carla, and the cars set off.

"What was that?" Willa asked, referring to what Carla had almost done to Eric.

"That was less than he deserved" Carla told her, being brutally honest.

* * *

**I feel bad that they are not on good terms at the moment, but be assured, Carla will get what she deserves in the end, hope you stick around to find out!**

**Hope you enjoyed, please tell me what you thought, reviews make me want to right more and let me know you guys want it!**

**Until next time, all the best.**

**-Shad out.**


	47. Giving Chase

**Hihi! Good to see you back ^^**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty-seven - Giving Chase

* * *

About an hour later, they were all stood round the back of a house, across the road from the bar.

Eric was smashing a wall, the one that apparently lead to the bar's basement.

Sam had already ran ahead, being able to fit through a grate in the lower part of the wall.

It was taking Eric more than a few swings and he was barely denting the wall.

Everyone stood back respectfully.

Carla rolled her eyes and stepped forward.

She raised her hand, balled it into a fist and slammed it into the wall.

The concrete crumbled and blasted in, making a hole big enough for them to enter.

She didn't look at Eric, she just dusted off her hands.

There was a loud, echoing squeaking from inside. Sam stepped out of a hole in the floor, pulling himself out.

"Right, it leads through to a vent and into the basement. Arlene, Nicole and Jane are there, as far as I know the vampires didn't hear me" Sam said.

"Thank god!" Sookie said.

"Get them out, please, now" Sam begged, stepping out of the way, taking the jacket Sookie was holding and putting it on.

Eric stepped forward, as well as Bill.

Pam pulled Eric back.

"Eric, I'll go" She asked.

"No, I'm fine" Eric replied. He obviously wasn't.

"We do not have time for this, I'll go" Carla stepped forward, and down into the tunnel and vamping along the path which was winding and about hip height.

Bill followed her, barely keeping up.

Carla came to the grate and push it out of the wall, so she could get through.

She stepped out, placing the grate down as quietly as she could.

She opened the door opposite the grate and let herself into the basement, looking down at the hostages that were tied to the poles.

"Shit" Carla growled to herself.

Arlene was missing.

"Bill, take these two out. I'll get Arlene" Carla helped to unchain Nicole, helping her get up.

Bill helped Jane.

"Carla, you may be strong, but you cannot take fifteen vampires at once, don't do something so irresponsible. You have Willa to care for" Bill spoke up.

Carla chuckled. "Willa looks after me, she's more than capable of living by herself. You have it the wrong way around and honestly, Bill, do you think I have anything to lose?" Carla shrugged, heading for the stairs.

"Maybe a second chance" Bill muttered, but knowing he could not change her mind, he turned the help the humans out through the tunnel, heading back to get the others.

Carla strode up the stairs from the basement, taking them two at the time, but remaining silent.

She took a deep breath, hearing the sounds of feeding from the bar. She laid her back against the wall.

She raised her hands, charging them with energy.

Suddenly there was a heavy knock on the door of the club, and the vampires stopped feeding.

"Who the fuck is that?" One of them spoke up.

"Who's there?!" Another one asked.

"My name is Eric Northman, and I used to be the Sheriff of this area. I am diseased and badly in need of the shelter you can provide!" He called back.

"That's none of our fucking business, piss off!" A female vampire yelled back.

"Wait, what's that, can't you smell that? What the fuck is that?" The first vampire asked.

"I brought my own human, I am willing to share!" Eric yelled from the other side of the door.

"Let him in, can't you smell that? Let him the fuck in!" The first vampire said again.

The door was opened, and the two of them walked in.

Carla looked around the door, peeking into the bar.

It was Eric and Sookie, they walked further into the bar and out of view.

Shit, this was not good.

The vampires in the bar all snarled, and sniffed the air, taking in the scent.

Carla looked around the corner, at the door, which was not closed.

Even at vamp speed she would not even be able to get them both out before she was taken out.

Not even only Sookie.

Carla sighed, raising her hands, she continued to concentrate on charging them, as if she didn't act they would run out of time.

"You talk too fucking much mate, just give me a fucking drag already" One of the vampires complained.

Carla hadn't even been paying attention to what they were saying.

"Alright 'mate'... you can have the first go" Eric said.

"Alright" The vampire replied, stepping forward.

"What before you do-"

Before he could finish, Eric was cut off by the sound of the front door to the club being yanked open wide.

Carla peaked around the corner and saw a man outside.

He threw a makeshift Molotov inside, and it exploded into flames on the counter.

Carla stepped out, vamping across the room to grab Sookie and get her out of the way of the obvious gun fire that was now being aimed into the club.

There was loud growling, as most of the vampires headed out of the door to the bar, killing off the attackers.

Then there was additional snarling, which was drowned out by the sound of fire, which was catching hold inside the bar.

Carla got up, letting Sookie run to Arlene.

Eric pushed himself up, having been winded from the blast, he was bent over trying to catch his breath, even though he didn't need it.

A vampire appeared from the bathrooms, rushing over the Eric and raising its weapon.

Carla instinctively vamped over to her, placing a hand either side of its head, and raising her leg, kicking her in her lower back, causing her head to detach from her body at the neck. H-vamps were much weaker than their healthy counterparts, in every aspect.

The body burst into slush and she shook most of the remains on her hands onto the ground.

Carla looked up and saw Eric looking down at her.

She quickly looked away, down at Arlene.

Sookie was leaning over her, trying to keep her conscious.

"She needs a healthy vampire to feed from!" She shouted over the crackling of the flames.

"I'll go!" Carla shouted back, turning around and heading towards the door.

Eric was about to follow her, but Carla shouted over her shoulder.

"Stay here Eric, protect Sookie!" She called.

He didn't argue.

Carla emerged from the bar, looking around the car park, that was empty of cars, apart from one truck which was stained with blood. But full of vampires and humans, fighting one another.

Carla reached behind her back, unsheathing her pistols.

Target.

Aim.

Exhale.

Fire.

One of the H-Vamps turned into a pile of goo behind Jessica, who continued her fight against the others two in front of her, wielding her stake very aggressively.

Carla fired her other gun, the bullet hitting a vampire who was backing Willa against a wall in the back of the head.

He stepped back, and then dissolved.

Willa nodded towards her and then ran back into the fray.

Carla turned her eyes to one of the other vampires.

Jason was being defended by his girlfriend, Violet, while he took out vampires with his shotgun, between having to reload.

Most of the other vampires were fighting melee, having lost their guns once they had run out of ammunition, they were all over the floor, just like the remains of multiple vampires who had perished.

Carla was suddenly pushed back against the one truck in the car park, her arms pinned wipe apart by a muscular looking vampire.

She raised her knee into his chest, it contacted with his rib cage hard. She heard multiple loud cracks, as the man's bones buckled under the force of the impact.

The vampire coughed and staggered, giving Carla a chance.

She slammed her knee into his chest again, this time causing him to stagger backwards.

She pulled her hands back, straightening her arms and fired in his face.

Blood spattered her legs from the knee down and her trainers.

She saw a man a few steps away, one of the friendly vampires who had joined them for the assault. He was being pinned down by a human she didn't recognise.

He had silver wrapped around the vampire's neck, reaching for a gun that was holstered behind his back, in his jeans pocket.

Carla raised her gun before he could, and shot him in the left shoulder, and then in the knee.

He fell to the ground, writhing in agony and screaming in pain.

Carla stepped closer, pulling the vampire up from the floor and unwrapping the silver from him.

"Thanks" The vampire gasped, looking down at the human.

"Come with me, please!" Carla shouted over the gunfire and sounds of battle.

She turned on her heel and ran back into the bar, which was now free of fire.

Pam had taken an extinguisher to it.

Carla walked through into the bar, to where Arlene was still laying underneath Sookie.

Sookie looked up, her face desperate, tears rolling from her eyes.

"Yes! Thank you, Carla! She needs vampire blood, please, can you feed her some of yours?" Sookie asked the man.

He nodded. "Of course" She leant down next to Arlene, biting into his own wrist.

"Terry…" Arlene said, half out of it.

"At last… give me a taste!" A husky voice said from behind Carla, one of the vampires had come back inside the bar, presumably for Sookie, as he was staring at her.

The vampire then looked up at Carla, sniffing the air.

Carla didn't hesitate in raising her gun and firing.

She hit the vampire's shoulder. Crap.

She aimed again, the vampire quickly recovering from the shot.

She fired and hit him right between the eyes.

He fell down into a heap on the ground.

Carla lowered her gun, and swivelled around.

Eric had gone, god knew where.

Arlene was beginning to come around, her skin was pale and her thoughts sounded as if they were very far away. But she was recovering.

Carla turned away, leaving the vampire with Arlene and Sookie.

She headed outside, where most of the fighting had now been finished.

The vampires were now being finished off, one by one, as they were ganged up on by the team they had brought.

One female vampire glanced around, seeing all her friends dead, the veins were think in her chest, running all the way up to her throat and the base of her skull.

Carla raised her gun and shot her, just as she was turning to run away.

The bullet hit her square in the back of her chest, causing her to dissolve onto the ground into a thick goo.

Carla holstered her guns, looking around.

Willa was stood on the other side of the car park, alive.

The rest had made it too, despite the odds.

Carla sighed, glancing around.

One was missing.

"Eric?" Pam said aloud, looking around.

Carla did a three-sixty, she couldn't see him.

Pam stepped closer to the entrance of the bar, about to look inside.

But she stopped dead in her tracks, looking to the side, something had caught her attention.

It was Eric, inside the truck, feeding on the humans that had started the violence.

"You fucking scared the shit out of me" Pam let out a sigh.

"What… I was hungry" Eric muttered, going back to his meal.

Carla walked past them and into the bar, finding Sookie.

Arlene was now sitting up, looking a lot better, thanking the vampire who had saved her.

"Everything okay?" Sookie asked Carla, looking her up and down.

"Yeah, no-one's injured, we all got out pretty well to be honest" Carla replied.

Arlene looked up at her.

"My god, Carla, I thought you'd left for good!" Arlene said, a smile on her face.

"I'll explain later" Carla said back, smiling. "You just get yourself feeling better first"

Arlene nodded, still a little out of it.

"Here, let me help you up" The vampire offered.

Arlene wordlessly accepted by taking his hand.

"T-thank you" Arlene said again, leaning on the vampire.

"Oh that's not a problem" He said, leading her back to the car.

"Carla, are you okay?" Willa's voice said from behind her, she turned around and smiled.

"I'm fine, my trainers aren't though. What about you?" Carla looked her up and down, taking in her bloodied form.

"Fine, in the same boat as you" Willa smiled, looking down at her ruined clothes.

"I bought extras, don't worry" Carla patted her on the shoulder.

"Are you two coming back with us?" Sookie asked.

Carla turned around to address her.

"Yeah, s-" Carla began, but was cut off.

"Willa and I need to have a little chat" Eric's gravelly voice informed them.

Carla looked at the vampire, not being able to control her look of contempt.

"Fine" Willa said, her voice almost as flat as Carla's would have been if she said it.

"I better stay and wait for Willa then" Carla decided, looking back to Sookie. "Get everyone home and safe, including yourself"

"I will" Sookie smiled back, obviously a little exhausted, her voice a little glum.

She made her way out of the bar, following the rest of the group.

Then it was only Willa, Carla, Eric and Pam in the room.

Pam noisily when around putting all the chairs back in the right position, as well as the tables that had been knocked over.

Eric let out a pained sigh, and walked slowly over to his throne.

"What the fuck do you want?" Willa spoke up.

Carla's phone began ringing in her pocket, earning her a stare from Eric.

Carla reached into her pocket and pulled it out, checking the number.

Her boss, fuck Shane, complete fucking dick.

She answered it and put it to her ear.

"What is it? I told you I was going away for a while, that didn't mean fucking call me" Carla walked away from Willa, towards the door and whispered low and furiously into her phone, so they couldn't hear.

"Carl, honest I would have let you just get on with it, but I got talking to this guy again. The one with the big job, he tripled his price, apparently his lackeys are having trouble tracking this bitch down, so they want you on it right now, come on, do not let me down!"

Carla sighed.

"Fine, but I want a fucking pay rise!" Carla replied. "Tell me the details, quickly!"

"The woman you're after is rumoured to be responsible for the creation of Hep-V, Sarah Newlin's her name. She was apparently to do with all that business with the late governor and his camp, but she all but disappeared about six months ago. They've been tracking her ever since, but with no luck, the prize is a little over a million, seems he really wants her dead!" Shane chuckled down the phone, that greedy slimeball.

"Any leads?" Carla focused on noting down the facts in her head.

"I haven't had time to look into much, but the word on the street goes she has a sister. Been all hushed up from the media, but apparently she's a vampire" Shane explained.

Wait, the same woman that preached anti vampirism has a vampire sister? Strange, you would think she would be supporting the cause.

"And? Location? Contacts? Anything else?" Carla demanded, she wanted this over as soon as possible.

"Amber Mills is her name, and she's in Dallas. I'll text the address to your phone, go get 'um girl"

"Understood" Carla pressed the red button on the phone and put it back in her pocket.

"I am not going with you! I'd rather fucking die than get in that coffin!" Willa's shouting caused Carla to whirl around, stepping forward.

"You will do what your maker tells you to, without question!" Pam ordered her, her eyes almost blazing with intensity.

"He may be my fucking maker but he sure as fuck didn't raise me! Carla did! She taught me everything I know about myself and what I am, she taught me to control myself! Not him!" Willa pointed over her shoulder at the vampire, who was resting in his throne still.

"We have bigger fucking problems-" Pam shouted back.

"This is all-"

Both of them were cut off by Eric's loud, dominant voice.

Carla crossed her hands over her chest, silently observing for now.

"Willa, you are right, I have been a terrible maker to you. For this apologise, though I am not ashamed to have turned you and I possess a certain sense of pride to call you my progeny" Eric commented, his eyes sincere.

Carla scoffed, all he had to be proud of was due to her.

"Why did you come back for Willa?" Carla asked, obviously there was no other reason for him to come back to Bon Temps.

Eric moved his eyes to her, with a look like felt like it was piercing straight into her soul.

"Before I die, Pam and I are going to kill Sarah Newlin" Eric explained.

Carla's eyes widened a little.

What a coincidence.

"Well you can count me the fuck out!" Willa spoke up again, shaking her head.

"Sarah was practically your step mother Willa, any information you might have, I need to know it" Eric ordered.

Willa stepped up onto the stage, looking down at the sick vampire in his now not so mighty blood-stained throne.

"I will not be going with you" Willa began, but was cut off by Pam.

"Like fuck you-" Pam began, but Willa spoke over her.

"But I will tell you what I know in exchange, release me" Willa said, her body was stiff, she was nervous.

Carla glanced between the two of them.

Eric pulled himself up from the throne, stepping closer to Willa, at his full height he dwarfed the vampire. He tilted his neck down.

"Willa Burrell, I hereby renounce the ties of our blood, as your maker, I release you" Eric spoke the words, taking a few breaks for dramatic effect, it would seem.

Willa took in a deep gasp, as if she had been winded by an invisible force.

"Like being kicked in the cooch by a wallaby, init?" Pam said, mockingly.

Willa took a few seconds to recover, then she began.

"Sarah has a sister" She started.

"Oh, no shit Willa-" Willa interrupted him.

"Her name is Amber Mills and she's a vampire" Willa told him.

Eric looked to the side at Pam, a small grin on his face. "Oh" He said.

"Now, how the fuck would Sarah Newlin have a vampire sister and no one know about it?" Pam said, her arms crossed over her chest in her usual casual pose.

"I don't know! But I overheard her taking a telephone call at the governor's mansion. Sarah was telling her never to call there again otherwise my father would send her to camp" Willa continued.

Eric took a moment to think.

"So… any idea where this, 'Amber' lives?" He asked her.

"I don't know exactly, but the call came from a Dallas area code" Willa finished.

Eric looked from Willa to Pam and then nodded.

"Good girl" He remarked, laying a kiss on Willa's forehead.

If only he had been there to be that sort of maker when it mattered.

"Pam, please tell the driver we'll be heading to Dallas, and we'll only be needing two travel coffins" Eric explained.

Pam nodded, wandering out of the bar.

"Willa" Carla said, beckoning the vampire over.

Willa hopped down off the stage to come and stand in front of the druid.

Carla kept one eye on Eric, who was staring at the two.

"It was him, he gave me a job, it's local, and it's high stakes. I need you to go back to Sookie's. She'll give you a place in her cubby, this won't take long, I promise you" Carla explained, not stopping or allowing Willa to interrupt her.

Carla knew she would be unhappy, especially as she had taken holiday, but now knowing that Eric was after the same person, she couldn't wait around.

Willa opened her mouth, about to complain.

"Shh, I had no choice, this is my job now, remember?" Carla tried to win her over.

Willa sighed.

"Fine, call me though to let me know you're alright" She said.

"Of course I will, stay safe okay? Offer Sookie some of the money on my card, you know the pin, it's in the back of the car" Carla added, pulling the keys out of her pocket and placing them in her palm, closing the vampire's fingers around it.

"Alright" Willa nodded.

"I'll be back as soon as I can" Carla said, turning away and heading for the door.

She needed to get there and speak to Amber before Eric and Pam located the address.

* * *

Arriving outside the address, looking at the quite modern well lit house in front of her, the number shone clearly in shiny silver letters next to the front door.

The street was completely deserted, not a single person but her on it.

Carla morphed back into her human form, pulling out her phone just double check the address before she knocked on the door.

Approaching the entrance, Carla made sure to look in the windows, checking if she was being watched from within.

They were all obscured with light proof shutters, which corresponded with the supposed inhabitant.

Raising her hand and balling it into a fist, she placed her phone back in her pocket with her other hand and gently tapped her knuckles against the wood.

Moments later, the door opened, and a short woman, at least shorter than Carla, stood on the other side.

Her hair was a light brown colour, the colour of oak furniture, a shade before blonde, it was pulled back in a loose tail behind her head.

She was wearing a comfortable vest, a few assorted bracelets around one wrist.

Her eyes were dark, and from the looks of her skin, so were her veins. They were snaking not only on her chest, but on her shoulders as well, she must have been in the later stages.

Thankfully Carla had remembered to wash the blood off her legs in a public toilet before she had arrived, she had made the right choice to wear shorts that was for sure.

"Good evening, is your name Amber Mills?" Carla asked, pasting an innocent, polite smile on her face.

"Who's asking?" The vampire asked, one hand still on the door, though it was open wide enough for Carla to see into the house behind her.

"My name is Carla. I'm here to ask you some questions about your sister, Sarah, if you would be so kind as to oblige?" Carla poked her thumbs into her pockets, trying to look casual.

Amber nodded. "Come in" She offered, walking away from the door.

Carla stepped inside, closing the door behind her and following the sick vampire into the large open plan kitchen, all of the fixtures looked to be new.

"What do you want to know about my sister?" Amber asked, opening the fridge and pulling out a glass of chilled blood.

"Everything, as quickly as possible, most important being if you've seen her recently or know where she is" Carla requested.

Amber took a swig from the glass, obviously the cooler the blood the more comfortable it made H-vamps feel, probably because their temperature rose when they reached the later stages of the disease.

"Well, to begin with I hate the fucking lot of my family, so I don't give a shit what you do with them" Amber began, going a little off topic.

"Why?" Carla asked, going along with it, demanding information tended to make it a slower process.

"I was always the black sheep. I fangbanged right out of high school while my hoity toity sister married a dedicated Christian" She explained, taking another sip, and then letting out a sigh.

"How did she keep you a secret?" Carla questioned, trying to keep her talking.

"I was broke, she had a media image to uphold, she sent me monthly payments to keep me quiet and she went ahead and told the media that the vampires stole me away in the night" She rolled her eyes, they were full of contempt.

"Hence this place" Carla commented. "I like it"

"Mhm, used to be a lot more homely too, but that was before" Her eyes fixed on the couch.

"Before what?" Carla prompted.

"My boyfriend, Jeremy, he got this fucking disease, first thing's the veins, then only a few months down the line he's dying in my arms" Her eyes glazed over, as if reliving the experience.

"I'm sorry" Carla frowned a little, sympathising.

"Now I'm going the same way, and all I can think about is there'll be no one there to hold me" Amber quickly wiped away her bloody tears, regaining her composure.

"Your sister caused this disease, she made it possible, all of your suffering is by her hand, and that is why I am here" Carla explained, crossing her arms across her chest. "I'm here to find her and kill her"

"Then I am more than willing to provide my information for you" Amber said, gulping down the last of the blood and placing the glass in the washing up bowl in the sink.

"When did you last hear from or see your sister?" Carla asked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"Hmmm…" Amber leaned on her palms on the countertop, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "She called here this morning"

"What did she say?" Carla prompted, getting close to the information she needed.

"She said that she had only just arrived in Dallas and she desperately needed a place to hide" Amber recalled. "But I told her to fuck off"

"Really?" Carla smiled, at least she wouldn't have to go traipsing all over to find her if she was here in Dallas.

"Yep" Amber said, stepping forward and leaning her elbows on the counter in front of her, looking toward Carla.

"So where else would she go?" Carla asked.

"Well, back to Mommy and Daddy of course. She may be a disgrace to the family but they always let her come crawling right back" Amber had a look of disgust on her face.

Carla didn't blame her.

"And where can I find them?" Carla asked, stepping forward to lean on the counter top too, placing her hand on the granite worktop and spreading her fingers apart, her eyes still on Amber.

"Their house is by Preston Hollow, but they won't be there tonight" Amber told her. "They'll be on their way to this" She said, pushing a newspaper over the counter to Carla's side.

She looked down at it.

The front page story was about a republican Gala, probably for high class citizens.

"Interesting" Carla said, studying the paper.

"When I mentioned that Mommy and Daddy would be there, she slammed the phone down on me" Amber explained.

"She'll be there" Carla deduced.

"You'll never get in, it's only by invitation, plus you look like a vampire" Amber inspected Carla up and down, noting the pale tone of her skin.

"I think I'll manage" Carla smiled, giving her a wink. "I need a picture of your parents, if you have one" Carla requested.

"Alright then, but keep in mind they only invited assholes" Amber commented, raising an eyebrow, she turned around and pulled open one of the drawers behind her, picking out a thick photo album and pulling a picture out, pushing it across the table similar to how she had with the paper.

It had a picture of an elderly couple, their arms wrapped around each other, smiling at the camera.

"I'm pretty much already one as it is" Carla shrugged, standing up straight and heading for the door. "I'm sure you'll hear when I'm done" She said, walking away.

"I look forward to it" Amber replied, watching Carla let herself out.

* * *

**-Shad out.**


	48. The Deal

**Welcome!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty-eight - The Deal

* * *

Carla faced away from the mirror, her head looking back over her shoulder, tying her corset up, tight enough to stay on, loose enough to allow her to breathe.

The dress wasn't too grand, but expensive looking enough that she would fit in with the rest of the people at the gala.

Luckily she had one of her credit cards on her at all times, just for times like this.

The dress was dark grey, made from silk. The top corset was edged with black lace, while the lower part stopped just above her knee, also edged with the same lace around the bottom in a precise pattern.

Carla tied the final knot at the back of the corset and turned around to look at herself in the mirror.

She had already done her hair and put on some foundation to lighten her skin colour so no one would suspect.

Her white hair was pulled together into a long flowing curly ponytail down her back, stopping just below her ribs.

Running her hands down the corset, she straightened it out, still looking at herself.

Reaching down to the dresser, she picked up her phone, pressing the button, the screen told her it was time to go.

Carla reached underneath her dress and popped her phone in the pocket of her shorts that she was still wearing, though they were hidden under the hem of the dress.

She stepped into a pair of high heels which were a sensible height.

Carla made sure to check that the strap around her thigh holding her gun was not loose, so it wouldn't fall down.

Of course she had the silencer attached to her other leg with a strap.

Dropping it back down, she headed towards the hotel room door.

She had managed to get a room, for a hefty sum, considering it was late in the night.

She had also managed to get a limo to take her to the event, just to add to the image, which was also expensive, considering it was only by reservation in advance.

But thankfully it was her work credit card, so Shane could foot the bill.

Heading down in the elevator, she made her way out the front, where she had told the limo to wait.

She opened the back door, ducking inside.

"Ready to go miss?" The driver's voice came over the intercom, polite, serious and professional.

"Yes" She replied, putting on her best rich bitch voice.

The limo purred into life and smoothly pulled away from the hotel.

* * *

What felt like hours but was more like fifteen minutes, the limo pulled up outside a glass-fronted building. It was huge, with lots of political banners against the windows, advertising the gala and the party.

Carla sighed, looking out of her blacked out window for a few minutes, getting herself prepared.

Not that she usually needed to do this before a job, more the fact that it was more than possible that Eric and Pam would be here tonight. She needed to get to Sarah first, take her out, and then get on her way without making too much of a scene. She didn't want her profile in the papers.

If Eric was here, he wouldn't care how big of a scene he made, he would probably be more cloak and dagger about locating Sarah, but once he laid eyes on her, Carla wouldn't be surprised if he ripped her throat out there and then for the role she had in what happened to Nora.

Carla reached for the handle and opened the door, pushing it open.

The driver knew she would not need picking up, so she simply made sure her dress was out of the limo and then shut the door behind her, heading in.

She just pretended she was supposed to be there and no one batted an eye.

Considering her attire, she did look the part.

Carla laced her fingers together, holding them in front of herself.

Carla glanced around, looking for two people who matched those in the picture Amber had given her.

Before long she laid her eyes on a woman in a light pink suit, with flesh colour tights and pearl accessories.

She was heading across the room towards the bathroom door.

Carla took her chance and began to slowly and inconspicuously make her way over to the toilets, taking time to glance around and make sure that no eyes were on her.

Just as she was about to lay her hand on the door and enter, there were multiple gunshots from the entrance to the building and the sound of many footsteps heading into the main hall where most of the people were.

Many men sprinted through into the hall, weapons in hand, firing them at anyone in close range or who may be armed.

Carla pushed her way into the bathroom, both to get out of the line of sight of the assailants and to pinpoint where Sarah's mother had gone.

The bathroom was empty, apart from a door that was wide open on the far side of the room, on the other side Carla could see white walls.

Striding through to get a better look, she poked her head around the corner of the door to see she was looking down a long service corridor, walls and floors white, with numerous dish trolleys and other hosting equipment against the walls.

Carla could hear rushed footsteps heading away from her echoing back along the corridor.

Carla broke into a brisk jog, heading after them, abandoning her high heels so she could run faster.

Turning the first corner, Carla saw she was following behind not only Sarah and her mother, but some of the men who had broken into the party with black coats, they were in front of her, following at a brisk pace.

One raised his gun and fired at someone farther down the corridor.

"Run!" A woman's voice yelled, before being silenced by more gun fire.

Carla pulled her gun from the strap on her leg, knowing now she would not need her silencer. She raised it, getting closer and closer to the men who were facing away from her by the second.

She fired, hitting one dead centre in the back of his head.

She took a second to aim at the next one, as they were in a line, she fired, being not so precise, but still taking him out.

The final one that had been in the line raised his semi-automatic, pressing on the trigger even before he had aimed, consequently the bullets hit the floor and the area just to the right of Carla, giving her time to aim.

She hit the man in the throat.

He dropped to the ground with the other men, dead.

Carla sprinted over to them, leaning down to pick up the machine gun from one man. She then jumped over the bodies and continued down the hall.

Turning the next corner, she saw a tall figure at the end of the hall, holding up another figure by the throat, as Carla's eyes came into focus, she saw it was Eric, holding Sarah off her feet, choking her.

Carla raised her gun again, not sure who she was going to shoot.

She sighed, about to lower it again.

Suddenly another group of suited men ran out of a corridor further up from Carla.

They got Eric's attention and he rushed towards them at vamp speed, something that Carla had never seen a H-vamp do before.

He dispatched all but one of them with a few swift strikes, before thrusting two katanas he had taken from two of the other men into the chest of the last man.

He raised his hand, letting go of the handles of the swords to crush the man's face, tearing his jaw away from the rest of his skull, giving him an exceedingly painful death.

Carla lowered her gun, looking at Eric.

He pulled his hand away from the man's body, its limp form dropping onto the floor in a small pile that had formed.

Eric had a strange grin on his face, as if he had taken some form of terrible revenge that he had been craving for.

He stared down at the man's corpse, his chest heaving for breath.

More footsteps echoed further up the hallway, shouting in an unknown language, one of the few that Carla did not know.

Carla looked over her shoulder, it wasn't from behind her, so they must have been approaching Eric.

Pushing herself forward into a run, which then turned into vamp speed, Carla halted and raised her guns again, taking aim at the approaching men.

Eric was still stood there, transfixed.

Using a semi-automatic she didn't need to aim well, she just pulled her trigger and then cared about aiming.

Zeroing in on three of the men, they fell down below the barrage.

By this moment, there were men approaching from all sides, all in similar attire.

Carla wheeled around, about to begin firing at another pack of assailants.

But then she noticed that Pam was with them, being held back by a thick silver chain.

Carla threw her guns down, even when she was angry with Eric, Pam had done nothing to her and she was not going to be responsible for harming her.

"Go" Pam gasped out, her back bent over, obviously in pain.

Carla knew what she meant.

She wheeled around, grabbing onto Eric, who had still not snapped out of his petrification.

She vamped down the corridor that she had cleared, shots were being fired behind her, but she was fast enough to escape.

Running out into the main hall again, there were more men in suits, but they were only human, not even close enough to fast enough to hit her.

Vamping out of the door to the building, Eric became even more of a weight on her.

Carla realised he had passed out.

Carla morphed into her bird form, doing a single, powerful wing beat that thrust her far enough into the sky to avoid any form of projectile hitting her.

Well, Shane could have told her that someone else was after Sarah, the clients 'lackeys' should have taken a step back to allow her to do her job.

Though, maybe it was someone else.

Carla was already prepping her rant to Shane when she found somewhere safe.

"Hey… calm down now girl, you said tell you fast, I just forgot to say that he was employing the Yakuza as well as you, it's a busy market, with a rare stock and a high price, you can't think you'd be the only one after her" Shane made excuses for himself, as he had for the past five months she had been employed.

"Well… I'm not liking him very much, I prefer to do my jobs when I am only being shot at from one direction" Carla explained, threatening to quit the job.

She had taken off her dress and was pulling on a large T-shirt she had found in the wardrobe of the hotel room Eric had the key to.

Carla had found it in his pocket and brought him back as he had passed out.

She had left him lying on the bed, immobile.

It was still night outside, he was just severely weakened by his run in with the Yakuza.

* * *

"Listen, I know you're not keen, but please, this is a whole lot of money, enough for us both to take a few whole steps towards retiring, if that's even possible nowadays. Just do this one and you can have a full week off, I promise." Shane bargained.

Carla rolled her eyes, opening the bathroom door and heading out into the main room.

"Fine, just use the proxy to get into the satellite imaging system and text me the address when you find her" Carla said, clearly agitated.

Carla put the phone down, dropping it into her short's pocket.

She walked over to the large dresser in the room, this was the same hotel where she had first slept with Eric, what seemed like an eternity ago. Not the same room, maybe, but it certainly looked similar.

Carla stared into the mirror that was on the dresser, looking back at herself rather solemnly.

She reached up and undid her hair, doing it up in a tight bun behind her head, for practicalities sake.

Sighing, she dropped the grip that had been holding her hair onto the dresser.

There were a rustling from behind her, a soft groan and then silence.

Carla turned around, only to see two grey eyes on her.

"You passed out, I found the keys in your pocket" Carla said as a way of explaining.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, obviously fatigued.

"Where's Pam?" He growled out, his voice a lot more sad than she remembered.

"They got her" Carla explained.

Eric pushed himself up off the bed, standing with a lot of groaning and grimacing.

Carla stepped a little closer, but then stopped, knowing it would be inappropriate to get any closer.

"Eric… you're sick, you should rest" Carla said, crossing her arms across her chest.

Eric looked down at her. He was still a lot taller than her, almost like a giant.

"Not when my progeny is in danger" Eric replied gruffly.

"Look, I know where they took her, just let me get her back and then you can both leave together" Carla offered.

"And how do you know that?" Eric raised an eyebrow, leaning down over her a little.

"I have my sources" Carla shrugged it off, keeping eye contact.

"And what are those?" Eric asked.

"That's none of your business" Carla replied.

"So… what are you doing here Carla? As I recall, you didn't offer to come and help us find Sarah… and yet, here you are"

"Eric, it's part of my job, this is nothing to do with you, this is not personal, whatsoever" Carla maintained a neutral face.

"And what is your job?"

"Give me someone to kill, give me a good price, and I can do it for you, anyway you desire" Carla answered.

"Well, how interesting, you certainly have changed" Eric mocked.

"Do not, fucking start, what did you expect me to do? When you fucking disappeared, for no applicable reason and left me alone to look after your newborn. What else was I meant to do? I needed a job to support us both!" Carla shouted into his face, gritting her teeth.

Eric was silent, as if he had nothing to say.

"Well, what's this, Eric-fucking-Northman is lost for words, this is a unique day" Carla scowled.

Eric let out a small sigh. "I'm- I regret, what I did. Looking back, I wish I had not played it the way I did"

"That's not what I want to hear Eric" Carla glared angrily at him.

"Then what is it?" Eric asked.

"I want you to tell me why you fucking left and I want you to apologise to me for fucking leaving, not some stupid explanation or excuse saying you should have done it differently" Carla narrowed her eyes at the vampire.

Eric let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Nora died" He said, as a way of explanation.

Carla's features softened slightly.

"I… I'm sorry" Carla said, looking away.

Eric took a moment.

"And then I saw you… as I found you and I just couldn't allow myself to endanger anyone around me" Eric sighed. "You wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for me, none of this would have happened if it wasn't for me"

Carla looked up again.

"Eric, you cannot blame yourself for everything that has happened since we met, if you stood by and did nothing, we would be in a much worse place than we are now, I assure you" Carla explained.

"I'm not sure if things could get any worse" Eric decided.

Carla looked down at the veins in his chest and how they looked to be spreading even as she looked.

"I know a few things that could be better" Carla shrugged.

Carla's phone started to ring, producing a low humming sound.

Pulling it out of her pocket, she looked at the screen.

It said clearly 'Willa'.

"It's Willa, I need to take this" Carla said, turning away.

Carla pressed the green button on the number pad and placed it to her ear.

"Hey Willa" Carla smiled into the phone.

"Hello, Carla, I'm staying with Sookie, she said it was fine and refused to take any money. But she'll let me stay in the cubby for as long as I want. How long do you think your job is going to take?" She asked.

"It's probably going to take longer than I first thought, but I am sure I will be back soon, I'll keep in touch" Carla continued to smile.

"Alright, I'll call you tomorrow night, since it's almost dawn" Willa replied.

"Stay safe" Carla answered.

"You too" The line went dead.

Lowering the phone, she looked at the screen.

"I'm not going to stop now, I don't have long, the disease is progressing and I want to finish this while I can" Eric said from behind her.

Carla turned around.

"Eric-"

He interrupted her. "You can't change my mind" He said simply, looking set in his decision.

Carla sighed again.

"Fine" She muttered. "Can you still fly?" she asked, going to explain to him what she intended to do.

* * *

Carla hovered in the air, high above the building that Shane had told her they had taken Pam to.

He even knew the room, which was convenient.

Carla lowered herself just below the cloud layer, zeroing in on the right floor and window.

She hovered lower until she could morph and grab hold of the window sill.

Looking inside, she saw Pam silvered to a chair, a table in front of her, with what looked like a box on it.

She looked up at Carla, noticing her, she mouthed quite obviously.

"It's about damn time"

Carla raised one of her hands, opening it and channelling light onto the window latch.

Moments later, it popped open. Carla slid her hand underneath it, pulling the large window open, connecting the arm into its hole, so it was held open as wide as possible.

Slipping inside, she held her finger over her lips momentarily, slowly and quietly making her way behind Pam and blasting the padlock which held the silver together with some more light. It sprung off and onto the floor.

Pam bit her lip hard and pulled the silver off herself, laying it on the ground as quietly as she could.

With a heavy and unexpected slam, the door was forced open from the other side.

Carla stepped in front of Pam.

Eric was notw making his way in the window, as he said he'd stay back for a few moments in case something happened she would have to deal with.

Looks like it was happening a little late.

Carla vamped forward, with a little searing pain, as it was close to morning. She dragged the long, extremely sharp Katana out of the sheath on the first man who had forced his way through the door, dragging it up and over his throat, blood poured out in a crimson wave, trickling over his expensive looking suit.

She wasted no time swinging the blade around and putting the force of her muscles behind it. It impacted into the next man's neck, easily cutting the flesh apart, even right through the bone, his head stayed where it was normally for a moment, even as the blade left, like a dining table which had the table cloth ripped out too fast for the crockery to follow. But slowly gravity got the better of the severed part, it slid onto the ground, along with the rest of the body.

Suddenly there was gunfire.

Carla automatically threw herself against the corner next to the open door, taking cover.

Pam followed her example, as Eric limped over more slowly, after flying it must have really drained his low resources, he really needed to feed.

"Plan?" Pam asked, holding her maker's arm now, supporting his weight with her strength. She certainly did care for him, as any progeny-maker relationship, it was good.

Eric would need her in the end.

"I don't know, I'm still thinking, just shut up while I think!" Carla shouted over the bullets.

The bullets which then stopped.

Replaced by singular and heavy foot prints, coming towards them.

Carla raised her hand, knowing she couldn't speak now.

She pointed to herself, then round the corner. She pointed to them both and at the window, hinting that when she ran out of the door, they should run for the window.

Pam nodded in understanding.

Eric seemed less enthusiastic and was breathing rather heavily.

Carla raised three of her fingers for the countdown, tightening her hand around the handle of her weapon, as the footsteps got ever closer to their position.

"Three" She mouthed. "Two… One…"

Swinging around to corner, she aimed low, sending the weapon forth with all of the force she could muster.

Then she stopped dead, looking at the man's face, his clothes, the way he fucking walked, that smug, half sarcastic half arrogant grin on his lips.

Carla stood up straight, guns were cocked, but not fired.

She lowered her weapon, the guns followed suit.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Carla narrowed her eyes.

"Is that really a way to greet your boss, honestly Miss C, you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Shane raised a mocking eyebrow.

He was wearing a rather casual pair of white jeans, with a chequered blue and white shirt, not tucked in, on the top, it was not buttoned up completely, showing a portion of his skin underneath and the top of a white wife beater.

He had a cigarette in his hand, taking a puff, he closed his brown eyes for a moment, sucking in the smoke, before blowing it out of the side of his mouth, running his hand through his bleach blonde hair, which was about two inches long at the top, getting shorter towards his ears and the back of his neck.

"If my mother was alive, maybe" Carla shrugged, trying to keep him occupied, waiting for the others to get out, but she hadn't even heard them move.

"I'm here to introduce you to our client, if you please" He gestured towards the hallway he had come from, which a dozen men holding their guns close to their chest at the far end.

"Right" Carla began to walk, but Shane held out his arm in front of her.

"But get your friend's first, of course" He grinned, sending her a mocking wink.

Carla kept her face stone-like, not moving a muscle, she looked up at him, he was about six foot, lanky, no muscle on him, he was the man behind the muscle, after all.

"Friends?" Carla raised an eyebrow back at him, more innocent and honest than his was.

"Yes" He nodded.

Before she could continue to bluff, Eric and Pam stepped out from the room, the guns cocked now, strangely.

Carla stepped backwards, putting her body between in the bullet line.

"Ahh, those friends" Shane grinned at them, taking another puff on his cigarette. "Nice to meet you, what might I call you?" He asked them more than friendly.

"You can call them Pam and Eric" Carla indicated towards them both as she said their names, "And if anything happens to either of them, you can bet your life something will happen to you next" Carla had fire in her eyes.

Shane nodded.

"I don't intend to hurt anyone my dear, besides, Mr Gus wants to make a deal we can all be happy with" Shane grinned, turning away and heading down the corridor, the rest followed slower.

Carla kept her body between the armed men and Eric and Pam.

* * *

Walking into a small room with no windows, a man in a white suit was sat behind a desk, which was completely empty, apart from his hands resting on its surface.

His hair was short and greased back. He looked very professional, of course, if he had enough money to hand over such a large sum for an assassination, he was probably very rich.

"Well, hello there, ladies and gentlemen" A smile came to his face, as he gestured that they should come in.

Carla kept a firm grip on the katana, barely noticing that she had blood down the front of her clothes.

"Please, there's no need for weapons, we're all friends here" The man, who Carla assumed was Mr Gus, looked up at Carla, running his eyes up and down her, before looking her right in the eyes.

"I'd prefer to keep it, unless of course all your gun toting chaps out there want to drop their weapons too?" Carla raised an eyebrow.

Mr Gus made a shrugging gesture, before looking at Shane, who also shrugged.

"What can I say, she doesn't like being shot at"

Mr Gus nodded, looking from Carla along to the two vampires.

"Well, I was wondering if we could make a deal, on a professional and mutually beneficial level." Mr Gus smiled.

"We already have a deal, no?" Carla tilted her head to the side, glancing across at Shane, who nodded at her.

"I believe that Mr Gus wants to include your resourceful vampire friends" Shane explained.

Carla turned her head back to Mr Gus.

He nodded slowly.

She turned her head back to look at Eric and Pam, her eyes gravitated towards Eric's.

They looked unsure, even frightened.

Carla took a step back.

"It's between you, then" She shrugged.

Shane stepped back with Carla, standing close to her.

She gave him a good hard stare and he took a step back.

"So…" Mr Gus began, he placed something on the table, pushing it across so it was closer to the vampires, so they could see it. "Do you know this woman?" He asked them.

"I know of her…" Eric muttered, unspecific.

"Do you know where she is?" Mr Gus continued to question.

"No…" Eric muttered, looking down at the picture still.

"Do you have any information, at all, that may lead us to her?"

"No" Eric shrugged.

"Well, now, that is unfortunate, I was hoping that we could work together on this and reap the rewards of our cooperation. But you seem to be unwilling to join an alliance with one such as myself, and my friends here" Mr Gus indicated Carla and Shane.

Shane grinned.

Carla resisted the urge to knee him in the groin.

"Eric" Pam said.

She was silenced pretty quickly by Eric.

"Shut up, Pam" Eric looked up at Mr Gus, a dead look in his eyes.

Carla wasn't sure why Eric was making a fuss, honestly, if he didn't agree to some form of plan, he'd probably be killed. Did he really care about killing Sarah himself that much? To risk his own life?

"Do you know anything about Sarah Newlin's whereabouts?" Mr Gus looked over at Pam, raising an eyebrow at her inquisitively.

"Pam…" Eric growled down at his progeny.

Pam remained silent, following her maker's command.

Carla stepped forward, ignoring Shane's hand holding her back and pushing forward past it.

"Eric and Pam know where she is" Carla spoke up.

Eric whirled around, raising an eyebrow at her and then glaring at her angrily.

"Carla-" He was cut off by Mr Gus.

"Continue…" He asked her.

"They know the address of the only other place Sarah Newlin has to run, after her mother and father died. Which I am sure you and your goons saw too?" Carla asked.

Mr Gus simply nodded.

"And, where is this address?" He asked her, looking down at them too.

"We'll take you there, at nightfall, all of us… together" Eric agreed, seeing where Carla was going.

Mr Gus paused for a moment.

"Very well" He nodded.

* * *

**-Shad out.**


	49. Back to Normal?

**Welcome back, great to see you!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter forty-nine - Back to Normal?

* * *

Eric gently tapped his knuckles on the door, waiting patiently for a reply.

The sun had only been down for about an hour, so the night was still warm.

Carla was looking at the door, standing a few steps back from Eric, with Pam next to her.

Mr Gus was at the back, along with Shane, and of course, a large group of the man's goons were also there.

Shane was noisily tapping his foot, as if annoyed, probably with the fact that Carla had brought the vampires along. Obviously he wasn't happy with the thought of maybe having to share the prize money with them, honestly, she doubted Eric or Pam cared that much.

Carla let out a frustrated sigh, getting irritated by the constant, repetitive sound of the man's foot, making the waiting feel like an eternity.

She turned on her heel, heading towards the corner of the house, intending to check the back.

"I'll be right back" she said over her shoulder, disappearing around the side of the house. She heard some light footsteps behind her, obviously, she wouldn't be able to do this on her own, she had to be baby-sat.

Carla didn't look over her shoulder, she just vamped ahead, hopping over the wall ahead and down into the back garden.

Something caught her eye on the concrete slabs, she looked down.

Broken glass.

Following it up to the small window, that was broken just near the handle. Carla walked over and put her hand through the hole. Not that she needed too, the handle was already pulled into the open position.

Carla pushed her body against the window, as to open it gradually and as quietly as possible.

She slipped inside, leaving it open and stepped down from the window sill. She saw the large dirty footprints on the floor.

Following them slowly out of the small room, which was a spare one, with a small single bed and simple furniture.

Heading out into the hall, the footprints ran along the hallway into the lounge-kitchen, where she had been when she spoke to Amber before.

The lights were still out, not a single one was on, there was no signs of life.

Following the hall all the way to the front door, Carla laid her hand on the handle, hearing another, heavier knock on the door from outside, guessing Eric was still waiting.

She pressed down on the handle, and pulled the door open, looking out at the vampire and the rest of the people who were staring back at her.

"There's a window broken in the back, unlocked, no sign she's still here, maybe our friend Sarah got here and took care of her before we could" Carla shrugged.

An irritated look flashed onto Mr Gus's face.

Eric sighed, his eyes on hers.

Instantaneously, a hand landed on her shoulder, pulling her back and slamming her back against the wall.

She felt a sharp scratch at her throat and Carla gritted her teeth.

She raised a balled fist to slam into the shape of the attacker.

Whoever it was staggered backwards, coughing, groaning in an effeminate voice.

Eric's fangs appeared and he shot forward, snarling at the shape in the darkness, standing in front of Carla protectively.

Carla's hand shot to her neck, feeling the liquid on her skin, drips trailing down to her shirt. She pressed her fingers against the puncture wounds, trying to stop the bleeding.

"What the fuck!" Carla shouted over the snarling, which slowly faded, into silence.

The lights in the room flicked on, and everyone was staring at the same location, at Amber, who was looking down at her skin, a shocked, almost disbelieving look on her face.

This was a look everyone else shared.

Amber grinned.

"She was fucking right, she told me the truth…" She breathed out slowly.

"What?" Carla pushed past Eric, looking at Amber, then down at her body.

She was still wearing the same clothes as before, but this time, something was missing.

Her veins had completely disappeared, she was cured and she looked as if she had never had the disease at all.

Carla looked from her to Eric and everyone else.

They were now staring at her.

Unsure what to do, she took a defensive step back.

Carla's blood, or something in it, had cured the Hep-V, she, was the cure.

Things had suddenly become much more complicated.

No-one moved, apart from Shane, whose face spread into a huge grin.

"What, the fuck, just happened?" Pam was the first to speak.

Carla looked from her to Eric, who still looked shocked.

"I believe that's a good question, what did just happen?" Mr Gus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It would seem that I cured her Hep-V" Carla managed to say.

"Sarah was here earlier" Amber began. "She told me that back at camp, when she tried to kill you, she fed you the antidote to the disease. Thinking you would die, she wanted the cure to the disease to die with you… or some symbolic shit like that"

"Eric" Carla said, raising her wrist to him.

Eric took a moment to respond, picking up her hand in his, producing his fangs and gently as he could, piercing them into her wrist. Blood oozed out and he sucked it up for a few moments, before pulling back.

He let out a long, deep breath and looked down at his veins

Everyone watched them slowly disappear.

Eric raised his finger, piercing the end, he put his now cured blood on her wounds, healing them over.

"Well, this certainly changes things" Mr Gus raised an eyebrow.

"This changes nothing, we are going to find Sarah, kill her, as planned" Carla bit back.

"Are you saying you don't want to save the vampire race?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You can have a vial of my blood, synthesise it and then mass produce it. Pretty sure you can do that and then leave me the fuck alone." Carla growled, she wouldn't sit in a laboratory and be poked and prodded. She refused, she'd had it done to much in her life already.

Mr Gus nodded.

"We'll have to speak about it, then" he mumbled.

Carla narrowed her eyes, she wasn't keen.

"Let's get this shit over with" Carla tried to take the attention, and eyes, of everyone, off her.

Eric stepped forward, grabbing Amber by her shoulders and dragging her through the house.

The rest of them entered afterwards, closing the door when they were all safely inside, turn on the lights.

Eric quickly secured Amber with silver chains to begin the interrogation, making sure she wasn't going anywhere.

"Amber… now I need you to be completely, and utterly, honest with us all. Where did Sarah go after she saw you tonight?" Eric asked, looking down at the woman.

She was silent.

"Amber… honestly, she fucking killed your boyfriend, she made this disease a possibility, otherwise it wouldn't have even been a reality. She killed him, and she's killing almost every vampire on the planet right now…" Eric let out a sigh.

"She's a good person… She's not the way she was before… She told you the cure… She's given you the means to make amends, this is her way of saying she's sorry and fixing it!" Amber bit back.

Carla stepped forward.

"She tried to kill me… simply for the fact I was with a vampire. She tied me up in her camp, sliced my wrists, along my arms, fed me that antidote and watched me bleed out. She, wanted, me, dead. Sound like a good person to you?" Carla raised an eyebrow.

"That's because you're a vampire…" Amber replied.

Carla wrapped her hand around the end of one of the silver chains, picking it up in front of her face.

"I'm not burning, I'm not a vampire" Carla snarled. "I will not be some fucking fix for all of Sarah's problems. She needs to pay for the shit she's done, just fixing it isn't enough" Carla's gaze was burrowing and intense.

Amber blinked back at her, not replying, as if she didn't want to give up her sister, but also didn't know what to say.

"Tell me, where, she is, if you don't tell us, we'll find her regardless, all of this, is pointless." Carla drilled into her.

"Fuck you. She's my fucking sister!" Amber spat back.

Carla instinctively grabbed hold of a nearby wooden lap, at vamp speed, as they were in the lounge. She snapped it apart on her knee, making one edge sharp enough to use as a stake and she thrust it down towards the vampire's chest.

Her hand was grabbed, preventing her from pushing the wood down into the woman's chest.

Carla looked up to see Eric opposite her, looking straight back into her eyes.

Carla blinked and then let go of the wood.

Eric grabbed it from her hand, throwing it down on the floor.

They looked at each other for a moment.

Carla knew then, she had just become as Eric was. She was chaotic, uncontrollable and dangerous.

She stepped back.

Turning away, she walked out of the room and into the back bedroom, for some privacy.

She was pretty much zoned out, until she heard the door quietly shut behind her, which she had left open.

Spinning around, she laid her eyes on Eric.

He was just letting go of the door handle, before looking up at the druid.

She didn't say anything, she just turned away, placing both hands on her face, slowing down her racing heartbeat and returning to her normal controlled state.

She could feel him getting closer to her, she didn't need to hear it, she could sense his presence.

Carla lowered her hands, only to feel his wrap around her waist, pulling her close to him, in a secure hold.

She let out a deep breath, as her muscles relaxed and she moulded into him.

"I'm so sorry Carla, for everything I've done to you, for everything I've caused. I never meant to hurt you so much. I love you too much to want to cause you so much harm, but now I realise, from the beginning, it was all me, putting you in danger and me leaving pushed you over the edge" He let out a small sigh, nuzzling his head into her.

Carla was rigid, she didn't know how to react, she was completely still against him, as if it had been so long she didn't know how to react to this.

"E-Eric…" Carla stuttered out.

He had listened, done what she asked, he apologised, admitted his faults.

She didn't know what to do, let alone say, this wasn't like Eric at all.

"And before you say it, I know, I know that we can probably never be the same again. I destroy everything around me, it all withers and dies. I put the ones I love in danger by simply being around them and I don't want you or Willa to suffer as Nora did, as Godric did." he explained, his voice full of sadness and regret.

Carla turned around in his arms, looking straight into his face.

"What happened to Godric, was his own doing. He wanted peace, forgiveness and rest, he didn't want to continue, you were not at fault for that, it was his choice and he chose to die." Carla placed both of her hands on his cheeks, looking straight into his eyes, as if communicating with his soul. "What happened to Nora, if it can be blamed on anyone, is my fault. I was caught by the governor's men, you came to rescue me from that camp, not you, Nora, Pam, Tara nor Willa would have been near there if it wasn't for me. Burrell was insane, driven mad by jealousy and corrupt with power. He is more to blame than any of us, if it wasn't for you, so many more vampires, including, eventually, Nora would have died from hep-V. If you had have kept out of it and let the governor continue to control and demonise the vampires, things would be a lot worse than they are now. Do not ever, think that what you did was not the right thing to do and not what was necessary." Carla finished, tongue tied again, still holding the vampire's face in her hands.

He didn't move, didn't even open his mouth to speak, he just stared back at her in silence, his eyes conveying a sort of longing, regret, even guilt.

After a long moment of utter silence, his arms still snaked around her waist, their eyes locked and her hands still on his face.

Eric opened his mouth, speaking again.

"I forgot how beautiful you looked up close" Eric said, his voice didn't quiver or falter, that was pure honesty, spoken from the heart.

Carla blinked, watching the smile that spread across his face, something caught her eye.

Over Eric's shoulder, someone's face at the door, watching them, the door must have been opened while she was distracted by Eric.

Carla took a step back from Eric, not looking at him, but over his shoulder, The smile disappeared and he gave a small nod, as if he knew there was someone there, as if he was reading her mind, could he really be, after so long?

"Now's not the time Eric, there may never be a time, after what happened. I have my own life and I'm happy with it." Carla said, being as sincere as she could, while lying through her teeth.

Eric winked at her, showing he knew she was acting, as he was facing away from the door, whoever was there, couldn't see his face.

Carla recognised the eyes, it was pretty obvious who it would be.

Shane, being a nosy Parker and general douche bag, this was nothing to do with him, he should let her deal with her own business.

"Right, of course. I understand." Eric let out a rather convincing sigh and shrugged his shoulders, turning for the door, where the peeping Tom had now disappeared.

He headed outside and Carla remained, staring at the doorway, not really with it.

* * *

Carla wasn't really sure how long it had been since Eric had left the room, there had been a lot of talking and discussion coming from outside, but honestly, Carla didn't care enough to go and find out what was being said.

Suddenly Shane barged into the room, his jaw clenched and stiff, his fists balled and the muscles of his upper arms tense and twitching, obviously he was angry.

Carla really couldn't care less why at this point.

"You and your fucking vampire friends, who have just cheated us out of half a million dollars!" Snarled Shane, pointing an accusing and judging finger at her.

Carla snapped out of her somewhat trance like state, fixing her eyes in his finger, before slowly running them up his arm to his face.

"What?" Carla raised one eyebrow, as if she had not heard him.

"You fucking heard!" Shane replied in a low and dominating tone, which Carla ignored, letting a smile spread across her lips, knowing it would only piss him off more.

"No, really, I didn't, please say again?" Carla licked her lips.

Shane took a long deep breath in and then out again.

"Mr Gus just agreed to allow your two vampire friends to share the profit once we catch Sarah, he even agreed to allow the vampire to off her himself, at no extra cost" Shane explained, his eyes almost burning with rage, oh how it must feel to have your whole life revolve around your wealth, how much you have, how much you can obtain and how much you can take from others. What a miserable existence.

"What a shame" Carla said, shrugging and putting on an over acted, false frown.

"If only I had ordered them to shoot, the yakuza, they'd both be dead and we'd still be entitled to all the money, we didn't need them to tell us this address, I already knew it."

Shane let out a frustrated huff, before glaring intensely at her, as if it were her fault. "You knew it too… you must have forgotten after being so focused on what you were going to spend the money on."

"Apart from the fact, that if you had done that I would have inserted that katana down your throat as far as I could push it." Carla winked at him.

He took a moment, as if a little shocked.

"He's the one isn't he, the vampire you said you fell for?" Shane asked, pointing out the doorway now.

Carla shrugged.

"Nope, he's just an old friend" from what she heard of herself she sounded pretty genuine, she was quite good at this lying thing now.

"Or was it her? That's it, isn't it, you fell for her?" he deduced, smiling, actually thinking he had discovered some sort of dark secret she had kept locked away, never to be discovered.

Carla laughed out loud at him, a proper belly laugh, at the fact he actually thought he was right.

Shane's original pissed off face reinstated itself on his features and he crossed his arms across his chest protectively, as if her laughing was some form of assault on his fragile person.

"No..." Carla managed as she recovered from her sudden and violent laughing fit.

"Anyway, so much for that step closer to retirement, looks like it'll be a smaller step than I had hoped" Shane muttered.

"At least it's better than a normal price on a job" Carla shrugged, looking at the positives, instead of wallowing in the negatives. Plus she didn't really care about money, as long as her and Willa could survive on it, it was enough for her.

"Yeah, of course you'd say that. You're not the one paying people's salaries." Shane narrowed his eyes at her.

After a long moment of being stared at, Carla decided to continue the conversation on a different vein.

"So, do we have a plan to find Sarah yet?" Carla questioned.

"In fives hours, when the sun goes down, we'll be heading out to wherever she is located. Mr Gus managed to convince the Japanese government to allow him access to their satellite resources in order to locate her, the yakuza are currently working on it in the other room, as we speak" Shane explained, leaning back against the chest of draws which as against the wall and underneath the window in the room.

Carla realised she was standing right in front of the double bed, which was in the centre of the room.

She collapsed back onto it, staring out the doorway.

"Couldn't you just use your proxy to get into the U.S. satellites, like you always do?" Carla asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I only do that when I need too, it's illegal, at least this way it's legal and I won't get my ass bitten for doing it. I mean I would have, if Mr Gus hadn't already gotten permission from Tokyo." Shane babbled on.

Carla simply nodded, not even looking at Shane, she obviously wasn't very interested at all.

Not that Shane noticed.

* * *

Night was only still young when they were all crammed into cars, heading towards the old Fellowship of the Sun headquarters, which was where Sarah was hiding out.

The place was abandoned now, the fellowship had pretty much dissolved when it was discovered that Steve had become a vampire and now, according to Willa, he was dead. Killed by Eric back at the camp, one of the things that Carla had wished she could have seen.

Carla leaned heavily on the door next to her, watching out the window as the car pulled around a tight corner with ease and pulled into a free space in front of a building which was slowly being taken over by nature once again. Weeds growing in the cracks between the bricks in the walls, ivy running along almost the whole side of the building and more weeds pushing their way through the once neat gravel driveway up to the building.

In unison, all occupants of the car hopped out and slammed the doors shut behind them. Doing a three-sixty of the area, as the rest of the cars pulled up behind the first and the people in those did the same.

Mr Gus began shouting orders in Japanese and the yakuza scattered off.

Carla was about to as well, going to check the building as it was the most logical place for Sarah to be, as well as the fact it was the area she had been assigned before they had left.

But it turned out that she didn't need to.

As she spun around to go head towards the entrance to the house, she noticed a figure in the shadows, standing under the porch-way of the building, out of the beam of the headlights on the cars, which they had left on.

Carla vamped over, so fast that the figure didn't have a chance to flinch before she was on her.

Wrapping her hand under the person's arm, Carla dragged her out of the porch, there was barely any resistance, but that was probably due to the fact that Carla was too strong to be resisted, especially by a human.

As she could hear grunts as the person, who sounded female, tried to resist her pull.

Carla dropped her in front of the car she had gotten out of, indirect light of the car's headlights. It was easy to tell that it was Sarah.

She whimpered, looking up at Carla.

She had dyed her hair, Carla now realised and she wore a dark coloured hoodie, which the hood had fallen down as Carla had grabbed her, with a pair of blood stained jeans.

Probably not her blood, as she appeared to not be injured in anyway, only mentally, maybe, as she quivered at Carla's feet.

"Please... Please..." She whimpered and begged.

Carla just looked down at her, she didn't feel as angry as she thought she would have, more sad and empty. This woman had almost killed her, made her into something she didn't want to be, the cure for hepatitis V and now she was sitting at her feet begging for her life. Carla just felt empty, even pitied the woman, almost.

Carla shouted, without looking up from Sarah at her feet.

"I've found her!" Calling the others over, who quickly appeared from their assigned destinations and gathered around. Carla stepped back, deciding she didn't want to be a part of it now.

She walked away from the building and the sounds of cocking guns, snarling, threats, the sounds of death.

Looking up at the sky above her, she realised what she had left behind six months ago and she felt that slowly, but surely, it was coming back to her.

Like a warm, feeling in her chest, Eric was back, he was safe, cured and healthy. She would give a vial of her blood over to Mr Gus, who could then produce a cure for the disease that was killing so many vampires. Things could, from this moment and would, return to normal.

A sudden sharp pain erupted in her right shoulder, she looked down at it, confused as to what had caused it.

A small syringe poked out of her skin, on the end of a dart which had pierced into her skin.

Looking up to her side, she felt like everything was spinning and threatening to fall away beneath her. The world was breaking apart and destroying itself around her.

Carla blinked, laying her eyes on Shane, who was still holding the gun up and aimed at her.

He may not be the muscle, but he could fire a gun and hit her from five feet away.

Carla lost her footing, her muscles being switched off like a light with a single flick of a switch, they fell away from beneath her, like the floor was also doing.

Letting out a final gasp, Carla heard voices in a far off place, too far away to hear them clearly, using the last of her strength she strained to hear the words.

"CARLA, NO, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" The voice questioned, until she slipped away into nothingness, as if she was floating in midair or laying in an absurdly comfortable bed.

* * *

**Poor Carla, honestly, I don't mean to repeat concepts constantly but I don't believe there's anyway else to actually get the better of her. Since she's super strong, super fast, so the only way, since she's not a vampire and all, to subdue her, since silver isn't an option, is to tranquillise her but damn has she been tranquillised a lot in this story. Haha. **

**Anyway****, as you can tell Shane is an ass, and since his motivation is money, you can probably guess his intentions with Carla, but of course you'll have to wait until next week to find out ;)**

**Until then, you have a great day, all the best from me,**

**-Shad out ^^**


	50. The End?

**Welcome to the end! Or is it? ;o**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter fifty - The End?

* * *

Carla blinked repeatedly and quickly, suddenly awake after feeling as if she was completely asleep a few moments ago.

Dragging air into her lungs proved ineffective, due to the strip of duct tape over her mouth, though her nose wasn't covered, it didn't fill her lungs as efficiently and she felt like she was desperate for air.

Seeking to calm herself, she closed her eyes again, taking breaths as deep as she could manage, focusing on keeping herself calm.

Opening her eyes again, letting them focus, her surrounds revealed themselves to her. She'd been here only a few days earlier, the sweet taste of blood lingered in her mouth, metallic and delicious, there was only one type of blood that tasted that way.

The sound of a door being thrown against brick smashed through the air, footsteps proceeded it, bashing down the steps and into her head, like a pair of cymbals crashing together right next to her ear.

"What excellent timing!" Shane's annoying and droning broke through the crashing.

Carla's muscles automatically went into defence mode, tensing and pulling on the tight silver chain restraints, which held her completely still, immobilising her attempts.

"Mr Mack, please, I said you could speak to the product, that didn't include gloating" Mr Gus' voice informed him, product? Was he talking about her?

Carla laid her eyes on the two as they came closer, her eyes slowly recovering and coming into focus. She was in the basement of Fangtasia, was Eric in on this as well?

"Mr Gus, I wouldn't dream of gloating, after all, you've given me my money, more than enough for me"

Carla could hear the grin on his face, she didn't even need to see it.

Mr Gus nodded.

Shane looked down at her, extending one hand and tearing the duct tape off her mouth with one quick movement.

Carla didn't even blink, she just let the contempt fill her eyes.

"Oh, don't look at me that way, you know the way it is, you need money to survive. I saw a chance to make a profit, now, I can truly retire" Shane grinned down at her.

"So you took the chance to sell me? Who gave you the fucking right?" Carla growled, pulling on the chains behind her back, slowly applying more and more pressure on the links, trying to bend and eventually break them.

"I paid Mr Mack here to capture you for me, with his expertise and knowledge. He saved me a lot of money by simply handing you to me on a silver platter. You see, I tried to make a deal with you that would be mutually beneficial, but I could see from your reaction that you were not interested. A single vial of your blood is simply not enough, I'm afraid" Mr Gus explained, smiling at her.

"Slavery's legal now, is it?" Carla glared back at him, raising a mocking eyebrow.

"Well, no one needs to know, do they?" Mr Gus shot back a wink at her.

"You will regret this, just you wait... Both of you" Carla let a rather false, but spiteful grin spread across her face.

"We'll see" Mr Gus replied.

"Anyway..." Shane spoke up. "I better be going, I have a city to get back to with affairs to sort out" He added, looking up at Mr Gus and extending his hand.

Mr Gus shook it with a smile. "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr Mack"

"You too, Mr Gus" Shane nodded back.

"See you soon, Shane..." Carla raised her eyes, meeting Shane's gaze. She could see the fear in his eyes.

He knew she was serious, he knew what she could do, he was instantly regretting his decision.

She could tell.

They both turned around and headed back up the stairs, shutting the door behind them, and like that, Carla was alone again.

Carla licked her lips, which reminded her of the blood, that taste. She closed her eyes, focusing on listening to the back of her mind, that entrance, that voice, where Eric's voice could be heard before when they had a strong bond. She put all of her energy into just trying to hear.

"Carla..." The voice came, more obvious than she thought it would be.

"Eric, is that you? What's the plan? Please tell me you can fucking hear me" Carla took in a deep breath, keeping up her concentration and shutting everything else out.

"Keep calm... one hour before sunset... set you free" Carla heard it like there was static between some of the words, but the static was more like a soft humming. Carla could only guess that it was due to the fact that Eric only had a few moments to give her some blood so they could communicate without raising suspicions.

"Okay, stay safe and turn my phone off if you can, they probably took it" Carla replied in her head.

"Mr Gus... tight security... I'll try"

Carla let out a deep breath, resting her head back against the pole she was tied to, closing her eyes. She probably had a while to wait.

* * *

The whoosh of air and speed was the only thing to snap Carla out of her zoned out state, she flicked her eyes open but didn't see Eric.

He was already behind her unlocking the chains.

"Mr Gus has left to sort out some business, we only have a few hours" Eric explained briefly, accompanied by the snapping of the padlock unlocking the dropping to the ground, followed by the chains, dominated by gravity.

Carla pushed herself up onto her feet, rubbing her wrists for a moment before looking up at the vampire, who was running his eyes all over her as if checking for any injuries.

"I'm fine, let's just go" Carla told him.

He raised one eyebrow, looking a little surprised, like she had read his mind, though it was quite easy to tell what he was thinking.

Eric nodded, heading towards the stairs, but he quickly stopped when he heard the footsteps heading down the steps towards them.

Carla and Eric both looked at the top of the stairs, following the figure as it walked down, standing at the base, looking straight at them.

"I'm disappointed in you, Mr Northman, I thought you were very happy with our deal" Mr Gus shook his head at Eric.

He narrowed his eyes.

Carla took a step forward, about to attack the man, give him exactly what he deserved, she was so sick and tired of being tied up and controlled.

Eric caught her arm, holding her back.

Carla turned her head to look up at him, but he was not looking at her.

She followed his gaze to the open door at the top of the stairs, in which a guard with a gun stood, aiming a dancing red spot on Eric's chest, another one came from a man next to him, holding another gun, the dot sitting on Carla's chest, just over her heart.

Carla looked back at Eric and took one moment to send him a mental message.

"Do you trust me, Eric?" She asked him in her mind. He looked down from the doorway and into her eyes.

He then briefly nodded at her.

She couldn't hold back a smile.

"Close your eyes" She thought to him.

He obeyed.

Carla turned her hands upwards, opening her palms, she quickly pulled her finger tips together, causing a bright spark to burst out.

Mr Gus stumbled back, raising his hands to his eyes, covering them and blinking rapidly, as did the guards at the top of the stairs, blinded by the burst of light Carla had produced.

"Go" Carla sent Eric the message.

He opened his eyes and rushed up the stairs at vamp speed, cracking the neck of the first guard, grabbing the gun out of the man's now dead hands and aiming it across at the next guard.

Firing a single bullet into the man's temple, he fell to the ground, along with the other body.

Carla stepped forward, morphing in mid step, pushing Mr Gus onto the ground underneath her gargantuan paws, snarling down at the man, whose eyes were so wide his eyeballs might roll out onto the floor.

Carla opened her jaws, letting out a rage filled roar straight into the man's face, who began quivering underneath her like a leaf.

She didn't wait another moment to close her jaws around the man's throat, her teeth easily piercing into his flesh, pulling back she took his flesh with her, ripping his throat out in a shower of blood and gore, dropping the flesh in his lap, before morphing back and wiping her bloodied mouth with her arm.

"Well, just like old thing too, I was getting a little reminiscent" Pam's voice came from the top of the stairs.

Carla looked up to see her looking down the steps next to Eric, she had a fair bit of blood on her.

Eric however was much more clean in his kills.

"Did you dispatch the rest of them?" Eric asked Pam, who nodded.

"What'd you do without me?" Pam smiled her usual smile.

Carla walked up the stairs and out into the bar, seeing her personal effects, pretty much only her phone, left on the bar.

She picked it up, it was off, as she had asked Eric to turn it off, so she pressed the power button and waited for it to start up.

Some missed calls, a few messages, nothing high priority.

Carla opened her tracking app, obviously she knew how Shane was and had taken the liberty of bugging his apartment as well as putting a tracker inside his phone, just in case she needed to find him at some point for whatever reason.

Of course he had realized, not only was he too trusting, he was too focused on how much money was rattling around in his pocket.

The GPS opened up, showing a map of where the tracker was, travelling along one of the main roads back towards New Orleans, not to far away, though.

Carla slipped the phone back into her pocket, turning around and noticing the multiple bodies strewn around the bar, walking straight over to one, she took the gun out of his hands, using the strap to put it over her shoulder, before going through his pockets.

Eric appeared behind her in the bar.

"What're you doing?" He said across the room, as Carla moved onto the next corpse, on the floor, relieving him of his gun as well and going through his pockets.

"Shane's headed back to New Orleans, I need to go after him and finish this" Carla explained, not finding anything in the man's pockets.

Heading over to the next body, that was in a heap next to the door, she found a bunch of keys in the first pocket she looked in, pulling them out and detaching the car key from the bunch.

Eric's hand appeared from out of her field of view, snatching the key from her hand.

"No need for that" He said, throwing it to the floor. "You won't catch up with him in a car"

"Depends how fast I drive, no?" Carla raised an eyebrow.

"Not when we can fly" He winked down at her, pulling open the door to the club next to him, gesturing for her to leave first.

She did so and as she walked out the door. She felt his arm wrap around her waist, and the floor beneath her disappear as they both shot up into the air.

* * *

Shane was probably stepping on the gas a little too hard, he was leaned forward in his chair, staring out the windshield as if something might appear in his path, as if Carla might appear in his path.

A small bead of sweat made its way down his forehead, dripping from his brow.

His mind raced, he had to get back to New Orleans, back to his apartment, call Nick and make sure she did the job, then move out of the city. If Carla was going to get out in some way, she wouldn't be able to find him.

Mr Gus had said he was going to remove Northman from the picture, so it would be only Shane and him in the deal. He didn't want too many people knowing the secret to the cure.

Shane leaned further onto the pedal, pushing the car into a higher gear and speeding along the road and max speed.

There was a cracking and buckling sound from the side of the car and Shane completely lost control,

The vehicle skidded off the road, clipped the curb and began to roll.

One, two, three, four times, landing on it's roof.

Carla walked quickly towards the car, approaching on the driver's side. She had dropped the other gun, having only one in her hand, a machine gun.

She didn't even have to kneel.

Shane was hanging out of the window of the car, his torso bruised and bloodied already, the rolling of the car must have damaged him, specially at the speed he was going.

Carla raised the gun, aiming almost point blank at the man's head, pulling the trigger once, a single bullet boring through his forehead.

She dropped the gun there, turning around, heading back the way she came.

Maybe things could go back to normal now.

Maybe.

* * *

Carla and Eric touched down at the end of Sookie's driveway.

Eric let go of her.

She took a step back, looking towards the house.

"Want me to wait outside?" Eric asked, looking down at her.

Carla looked back at Eric.

"You can go back to Fangtasia, if you want, I don't know how long this'll take" Carla shrugged.

"Well, I don't think I'll be very welcome in there, considering..." Eric explained.

"Honestly, I was more mad at you than Willa was and I'm pretty sure that Sookie is more than grateful to you" Carla smiled at him.

Eric raised an eyebrow. "She seemed pretty pissed off when I asked her to come with us to get Sarah"

"Eric, you didn't ask her, you ordered her, she doesn't really like to be told what to do" Carla inclined her head towards him.

He shrugged.

"I suppose you're right..." Eric sighed, looking down at the ground. "I really fucked up, huh?" He said.

"Eric, don't dwell on that, learn from it and move on" Carla raised a hand, pushing his gaze back up to meet hers.

Eric nodded.

Carla turned and walked up the driveway towards the house. She heard the footsteps of Eric behind her, taking a few long strides he caught up with her.

Carla's car had been moved around the back of the house, but it was still here, telling her that Willa was still around.

Walking up to the door, she raised her fist and tapped on the door gently.

"Coming..." Sookie's voice came from up the stairs, and there was a quiet trudging as she came down the steps.

Eric's frame behind Carla dominated the doorway, even though Carla was in front of him she felt like a midget.

Pulling the curtain back, Carla poked her face in the gap to look at Sookie, and smiled.

Sookie did so back, but not as vibrantly or happily as usual.

She pulled the door open.

"Carla, you're back, good to see you" Sookie said, looking from her to Eric as she noticed him.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, good to see you too, are you okay?" Carla asked and then noticed Sookie staring at Eric.

There was a moment of silence.

"What happened to your Hep-V?" Sookie said, stepping forward to look closer at Eric to make sure she wasn't imagining it.

Carla stepped to the side.

"It's a long story... Sookie, I can explain" Carla tried to explain.

Sookie turned to her.

"I need the quick version! Bill's sick, I don't know how long he has, his is progressing super fast!" Sookie shouted at her, her eyes frantic.

"Sookie, calm down, the quick version is that Sarah Newlin dosed me with the antidote to Hep-V in vamp camp, so my blood is the cure" Carla explained as quickly as she could.

"Oh my god! You need to come with me, you need to give Bill your blood, you can save him!" Sookie said, grabbing Carla's arm and dragging her towards the graveyard.

"Okay, Sookie, are you alright?" Carla let herself be dragged, thinking her friend had become a little crazy while she was away.

Eric was following them as they were dragged across to Bill's house.

Sookie only in her dressing gown with knotty and messy hair.

Sookie didn't even knock, she just opened the door and continued to pull Carla on and up the stairs.

"Bill!" Sookie called.

Jessica appeared from the master bedroom at the top of the stairs, looking at the three of them.

"Sookie? Carla? Eric?" Jessica looked between the three of them and then back at Sookie. "What are you doing here? You know Bill's-" Sookie cut her off.

"Carla can cure him, where is he? In the bedroom?" Sookie continued to drag her into the bedroom which Jessica had come out of.

Bill was laid on his side in the bed, veins snaking all over his skin and body.

"Christ..." Carla muttered, looking at the huge amount of veins, he must be in the final stage and only a few days ago he had no veins, how didn't she smell it?

Bill sat up in bed, looking weak and stiff, propping himself up against the headboard of the bed.

"Sookie" Bill started, taking a pause, obviously somewhat uncomfortable.

"Bill, Carla's blood can heal you, cure you" Sookie said to him.

He looked towards Carla, who nodded at him.

"It's true, it worked for me" Eric spoke up, catching Bill's eye. He nodded at him, looking back at Carla.

Carla took her arm out of Sookie's grip, walking over to the side of the bed Bill was on, offering him her wrist.

"Go ahead" She said, nodding at him.

Bill looked down at her wrist, his eyes following her arm right up to her face, meeting her gaze.

He shook his head, turning to Jessica and Sookie and glancing between the two.

"I don't want it" Bill stated, looking up at Carla. "Thank you Carla, but I believe this is what I want" He added.

Carla withdrew her hand, nodding.

"Bill, don't you dare do this to me, don't you dare" Sookie simpered, obviously angry.

"Sookie..." Bill began, but he was interrupted by Jessica.

"How could you, Bill? How could you want to leave me?" Jessica shared about the same amount of anger as Sookie.

Carla didn't blame them, of course.

"This is my choice, -" Bill began, but was cut off.

"Release me" Jessica stepped forward, staring intensely down at Bill.

"Jessica..." Bill sighed.

"Do it" Jessica's shoulders were stiff, as she stared down at Bill.

There was a brief pause of silence.

"Jessica Hamby, I renounce the ties of our blood, as your maker, I release you" Bill said, after taking a moment.

Jessica let out a brief gasp, as if winded, she let out a small sob.

Carla stepped towards her, wrapping her arms around the vampire.

Thankfully she didn't push her away and laid her face of Carla's shoulder, sobbing, her body jolting with each sob.

Eric stood at the back of the room, probably trying to understand how and why Bill was so desperate to die, at least enough to let the Hep-V kill him even when there was a cure so close and available to him.

Sookie stepped forward towards the bed.

Bill grimaced, groaning stiffly, obviously in pain.

"Why're you doing this to me, Bill, to us?" Sookie glanced to the side at Jessica, who was still being comforted by Carla, her body jolting with every sniffle and sob she emitted.

"Sookie, maybe we should speak about this in private..." Bill indicated Eric and Carla.

Eric immediately nodded, walking towards Carla, placing his hand on her shoulder that wasn't being sobbed into, she turned her head to look at him and he smiled.

"Come on" He said simply.

Carla placed a hand on the back of Jessica's head and she took a long sniffle, composing herself. With fluttering eyelids she pushed back the bloody tears that continued coming.

"Are you okay?" Carla asked, looking into Jessica's eyes.

She nodded.

"Yeah" She mouthed, followed by "Thanks" and a small smile.

Carla nodded and looked back at Eric, who placed a hand on each of her shoulders, almost pushing her out of the room.

Leading her down the stairs, Carla spoke over her shoulder to him.

"God, there's no need to escort me out like a bloody bouncer"

"Less of an escort, more of a kidnapping" Eric chuckled, slamming Bill's front door behind him, vamping away from the house, into the cemetery, under the cover of the trees.

Carla felt a little guilty to be laughing and joking while Sookie was losing something so close and precious to her, but Carla hadn't been this happy in a very long time and she thought, at least, that she deserved it.

* * *

Bill died four days later, Sookie never told Carla much about it, nor much about what was said in that room between the three.

Carla stayed with Sookie for about a week before heading back to New Orleans to clear out the flat with Willa.

They decided to move back to Shreveport, sharing an apartment.

Eric bought a large house, round the corner from Fangtasia.

Carla quit her 'job' and went sixty-forty in a deal with Eric to create a new form of synthetic blood, New Blood. Both a synthetic replacement for human blood, a cure and vaccination for hepatitis-V, courtesy of Carla's blood. Apparently it was a lot tastier than True Blood was, so that was also another upside to the product.

This funded Carla, meaning she didn't have to work anymore. She could also support Willa, who had slowly began to repair her relationship with Eric, as she desired.

All of them kept their distance from Sookie, she had her own life now.

Carla kept an eye, of course, for old times sake, but she never let herself be seen.

Sookie had gotten married and was now forming her own family.

While Carla, had her own family, they may be dead, partial to her blood and not keen on sunlight. But they were a family none the less.

Pam took over management of Fantasia fully, while Eric and Carla managed their company together.

Willa attended a vampire night college, which slowly began to pop up as the hepatitis-V crisis dissolved. She studied law, business and economics, as well as many other subjects, broadening her knowledge for her long life of undeath she had ahead.

One thanksgiving, four years later, Carla was perched on the far corner of the house, Sookie's house to be exact, in her bird form, looking down at the preparations made for their dinner.

Lots of people were milling around, but none had sat down to eat yet, as the table was still being filled with trays and bowls of food.

It was already as dark as it would get, but the small tea lights and lanterns draped around Sookie's driveway were keeping the night at bay.

Sam and his wife, Nicole were at the party, they had two kids.

Carla recalled Sookie telling her that they moved away back to Nicole's home to get away from the town, no doubt they were visiting for Thanksgiving.

Arlene was there, with her vampire boyfriend, they had been together since shortly after the Fangtasia incident.

Jessica and Hoyt, also, who were married. Had been shortly before Bill passed, as well.

There was a complex and winding story behind them, but Carla had never found out before she took her step back from Sookie and Bon Temps.

Jason was there, of course, with a new woman, one Carla didn't know. They had a few children with them as well, so Carla assumed they were married.

Holly was also there, with her two sons. Andy also, with his daughter, another long story that Carla had not had the time to ask about.

Lafayette was there, with James, or Jessica's old boyfriend, from what Carla could remember.

There were a few other people, some Carla didn't recognize, obviously people she had not met in her time with Sookie, she had been away for quite a while, after all.

As the people began to sit down at the table, Sookie came out of the house, followed by her children, as well as her husband, that Carla had not met.

But of course, she didn't want to interfere too much with the fairy's life, not when Carla's was exactly what Sookie spent so long trying to get away from.

Lots of things were running through Carla's mind, how much people had changed.

Sookie actually looked happy, she never lost her smile.

Carla ruffled her feathers, watching silently from the rooftop as the people filled their plates and exchanged happy chatter.

Looking along the table to the head, where Sookie sat.

Carla finally noticed that she had been noticed, Sookie's eyes were on her, returning the gaze.

Carla pushed herself off the roof and down the back of the sloping tiles, morphing back into her human form so they her feet hit the floor before she did.

Carla considered morphing again and flying off into the cover of the trees, keeping her vigil but also the painful distance that she had created, for Sookie's own good.

But her body wouldn't respond to her orders, she just stood there, unresponsive.

She heard footsteps coming through the house, but she still didn't move or turn to run, she just stood and waited.

Sookie's head poked out the back door of the house and she made her way out of the door.

Blinking as if she didn't quite believe it was Carla.

"Carla?" She asked, narrowing her eyes for a moment, it was a little dark around this side of the house.

"Come on, it's not been that long" Carla joked, smiling broadly.

Sookie jogged forward, throwing her arms around Carla, "I can't believe it's you, I missed you so much" She said.

Carla patted her on the back, feeling her baby bump now, that had been hidden under her dress so Carla had not noticed.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I just thought-" Carla tried to explain, getting caught up, not knowing whether she should say.

"Thought what?" Sookie asked, stepping back and looking her in the eye.

"I thought you'd want that normal life you always spoke about, my life is filled with vampires, not so much danger now a days, but you know how Eric is. I thought you'd be happier without my involvement with my vampire drama" Carla explained, giving the fairy a weak smile.

"Don't be silly, Carla, you're a great friend. I owe you my life and so much more, don't keep your distance, after all there are vampires in my life too, just because your life involves vampires doesn't mean I'll suffer for it" Sookie shook her head, winking at Carla. "Besides, we need to catch up, how about you come and join the party. Sam and Arlene keep asking after you and I don't have a damn thing to say" Sookie put her hands on her hips.

"I don't think that's a good idea, I need to get back to the house for an appointment I have scheduled, meeting with a few business partners, new advertising campaign we're working on" Carla sighed. "Are you around tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yeah, well the kids'll be around, but I'm sure they'll be fine" Sookie nodded, smiling. "Just turn up around midday, okay?" Sookie said.

"Sounds fine, I'll be there" Carla winked. "You better get back to your party before you're missed and if they ask about me anymore, just say they'll probably see me on T.V soon"

"I will, see you tomorrow, Carla" Sookie leaned forward, laying a friendly kiss on Carla's cheek and giving her a tight hug.

Carla returned it.

Sookie headed back through the house to the party.

After a few moments Carla morphed, flying back towards Shreveport.

* * *

Carla landed on the balcony of the top floor, letting herself in through the open door, where she had left.

Walking through the room and across the landing. She poked her head around the door into Eric's office.

This was Eric's house, but she spent more time here than she did at her own home, she found.

Eric was facing away from her, editing spreadsheets on the computer system in front of him at an unnatural speed.

Pushing the door open slowly and without a sound, she made her way closer to him.

He spun around in his chair, looking up at her.

She froze to the spot, damn his vampire hearing.

"Nothing to do with hearing, I can see your reflection in the computer screen" He grinned and winked.

"Well, I'll be damned" Carla put her hands on her hips.

"How'd it go at Sookie's?" Eric asked.

Carla raised an eyebrow at him. "Sookie's?" She hadn't told him she was leaving, she had left before night fall, as well.

"You never disappear off anywhere else" Eric smirked.

"She saw me, we had a chat. She seemed happy to see me, said I should come and visit her and the kids tomorrow morning" Carla explained, there was no point in keeping anything a secret from Eric now.

He could just look into her head and pick out whatever he wanted to know.

She could do the same, of course, the bond was two way.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Eric asked.

"Well, I won't get any closer than this, long range. Whatever drama we deal with will be completely separate from her" Carla leaned back against the wall behind her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If only there was drama, this life is awfully boring sometimes" Eric shrugged, his voice full of sarcasm.

"Oh, thanks" Carla narrowed her eyes and poked her tongue out at him.

"You said she had kids?" Eric asked.

"Yep, a couple. One in the oven too" Carla eyed the vampire up and down.

"Cute" Eric replied, resting a cheek on his fist as he slouched in the chair.

"Didn't know you were the kid type." Carla smirked and gave a small snicker before adding, "not sure how I'll be around them though."

"Fine, I'm sure" Eric replied supportively. "And I'm fine with kids… most of the time. the best influence." He looked rather smug.

"We'll see, I suppose" Carla blinked, looking into his eyes as she ignored his other comment. "What have you been doing all evening then, which is such an awful bore?" Carla asked.

"Tallying sales and profit, advertising appointment was cancelled. Natasha is rescheduling it for next week" Eric explained, glancing behind him and indicating the spreadsheet on the screen and the paperwork on the desk.

Natasha was Eric's and Carla's personal assistant.

"Well, then I have nothing to do tonight" Carla shrugged, putting on a smug grin.

"Thought you had a deal to make?" Eric asked.

"Did that this morning" Carla shrugged. "What can I say, I can sleep when I'm dead"

Eric chuckled, then became suddenly serious, standing up and turning his back to her, leaning forward on the desk, probably in an attempt to hide his expression.

Carla stepped forward, laying a hand on his shoulder, then the other on his other shoulder, as he was leaned forward she could place her chin on top of her hand on his shoulder, nuzzling into the side of his head.

"What's wrong?" Carl whispered into his ear.

"Nothing..." Eric replied, staying still.

Carla receded, only to move next to him and look up into his face.

He looked down, as if trying to hide something.

Looking down at the desk, Carla saw the small circle of blood on one of the pieces of paper. She looked from it up at the vampire's face.

He was now looking straight at her.

Carla placed one hand on either cheek and studied his face.

"What's wrong Eric?"

There were bloody tears, one from each eye, trailing down his face. He took a deep breath, composing himself, as his blood began trickling onto Carla's hands where they sat on his face.

"I'm afraid..." He began, cutting himself off.

Carla wiped away his tears, staring him right in the eyes.

"Afraid?" Carla asked.

"Afraid that your life will be but a fraction of my eternity" He managed, blinking back more tears.

"You don't know that" Carla shook her head.

"Well, you must know how long your kind lives" Eric replied.

Carla let her hands drop, raising one to her chin in a thoughtful motion, the other folded under her hugged around her waist.

"Well...?" Eric asked.

"It depends a lot on the powers they have. Ones like Rob, benders of the elements, only live into their forties. While ones like me a Clive can go on for hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. Depending on what beings we've mimicked, I've never heard of a shape shifting druid mimicking a vampire before, but if it's like other animals, the life span can be copied onto us from the animal, maybe it's the same between a druid and a vampire?" Carla shrugged.

Eric nodded slowly, sniffling, it must be the second time Carla had seen him cry.

He cried when Godric died, he cried until she was there to comfort him, other than that he was like a stoic guardian, never even letting that emotion show for a second.

"This is new to me, to my kind, we were very closed off, everything behind the barrier, no outside interaction at all, forbidden. No vampires, werewolves. I have to admit there was some shifter interaction, but that was only because they are so similar to us, apart from our animal counterparts are much stronger than theirs" Carla explained, shrugging.

"I could live as long as you, or I could die in fifty to seventy years time, like a normal human" Carla shrugged.

"And that doesn't frighten you?" Eric asked, stepping closer to her.

Carla smiled. "Nothing seems scary with you by my side"

He engulfed her in a drowning hug, that made her feel blissful, this was Arcadia for her, heaven, ecstasy.

"I love you Eric" she said, but it was muffled by his tight hug.

"I love you, Carla" Eric replied, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

Carla pulled away, looking into the vampire's face with a smile.

"So stop all of this, there's no need for it" She indicated his tears.

He nodded.

"You're meant to be the emotionless one, I'm meant to be the heap of volatile emotions" She reminded him.

He chuckled softly and briefly.

Carla glanced at the clock on the desk, it was half past two in the morning and she looked back up at him.

"How much work do you have left?" Carla asked, glancing back up at the vampire in front of her.

He shrugged.

"Nothing I can't put on hold" A grin slowly, but surely, made its way onto his face, his eyes now wandering her body as if it was some unexplored kingdom that he could finally seize the treasures from.

Carla raised an eyebrow mockingly. "My, my, Mr Northman, what're you trying to suggest?" Carla put on her businesswoman voice, something she had perfected over the past years.

Eric's grin grew wider, something Carla wasn't sure could actually happen.

"Well, Miss Thompson, my business directly includes and enhances pleasure, maybe I could have the honour of demonstrating?" Eric offered his hand out to her.

Carla looked down at it, and then back up at Eric's face. "Hmm, you shall" She agreed, taking his hand gently in hers.

In less than a second she felt the movement as Eric rushed through from the office to the bedroom, gently laying her down underneath him on the bed, as the mattress bent to her form.

She felt his hand running up her thigh, making its way to the front of her jeans and unbuttoning them, as well as unzipping her fly.

He touched his lips to hers, being ever so gentle and innocent.

His other hand laid behind her neck, his thumb running up and down the side, making her hairs stand on her and shivers to ping pong up and down her spine.

Carla closed her eyes, letting her body take over, her mind focused on what was to come, how would he touch her? What would he do? How would it feel?

Her lips stayed against his, reciprocating his movements, tasting him was only more tempting, making her slowly lose her mind.

Carla let her hands run down his back, feeling every inch of him, paying so much attention to this that she didn't even notice he had removed the clothing on her bottom half.

His other hand that had done the removing now made its way up the inside of her thigh. As he reached the top, his finger sunk inside of her, all the way, going in circular motions.

Carla flicked her eyes open, shocked by the sudden pleasure after the build-up, she let out an unrestricted squeak of pleasure, which developed into a moan.

Eric grinned down at her, lowering his face to her cheek, kissing along the bone and down to her neck, across her shoulder and collarbone and then descending more towards where his finger was still working on her.

She arched her back, quivering with delight, her muscles twitching and clenching uncontrollably as the pleasure increased gradually.

Carla squeezed her eyes shut, only to have them thrown open again as she felt his tongue tracing around her clitoris. Carla gasped, letting out another uncontrolled moan-squeak, a jolt running down her body as the pleasure continued to intensify.

"Oh my- Eric…!" Carla exclaimed, gripping onto the duvet underneath her, tightening her hands into fists around the material.

Eric continued with his skillful work, almost pushing Carla over the edge, until she was so close she couldn't stand the build-up anymore, release was all she desired.

He pulled himself up again, in one vampire speed movement he entered into her himself, his hardness causing another stiff jolt to run through her body.

She gasped, followed by a moan.

He rested his lips on hers, beginning to thrust, slowly, but surely, inside of her, his speed increasing at the same rate.

"Eric..." Carla let out in a gasp, digging her nails into Eric's skin, letting out a low moan.

"Carla... my-" Eric uttered.

Carla rolled over, so she was on top. She pushed her palms down on his shoulders, pinning him to the bed.

A smile spread across his face as Carla took control.

Carla continued while looking him right in the eyes, pleasure throbbing up through her body, the markings from her core outwards slowly firing up in a golden light.

"Fuck- Carla-" Eric arched his back, letting out a gasp, followed by a moan.

Carla slowed down, teasing him with the release.

When he reached it, he sat up, wrapping his arms around her, holding her against him, kissing her deeply, before resting his forehead against hers, letting a low growl out from his throat.

Carla also reached her climax, being left in a gasping, sweaty mess, laying her hands over his shoulders, rubbing her nose against the end of his.

Eric let out a huff, rolling his shoulders, looking up at her.

She slowly opened her eyes to meet his, mutual smiles spreading across their faces.

Carla placed a small kiss on his lips, before pushing herself back off the bed and pulling the rest of her clothes off. She swiftly pulled on a night dress that was laid on a chair next to the balcony door.

Dropping it over her head, it ran down her body, covering her and stopping just before it hit the ground.

She stepped out onto the large stone balcony, resting her hands open on the railing.

She wasn't alone out there for long, as Eric joined her a few moments later, having put his trousers back on, but taking off his shirt, no practical reason, but Carla wasn't complaining.

She turned, resting against the railing and looking towards the vampire, who glanced from her out at the night, to the moon, then down to her again, running his eyes down her sleek figure in the night dress.

Carla winked at him.

A smile spread across his face and he pulled her into a hug. One hand around her waist, the other on the back of her hair, stroking her hair slowly and gently with his whole hand.

Carla rested one hand on his shoulder blade, the other above his hip, resting her cheek on his upper chest.

"I love you, Eric" Carla said, closing her eyes for a moment and letting out a long breath, comforted by him holding her.

'I love you too, darling' Eric didn't have to say it.

Carla heard it in his head.

Opening her eyes again she saw something sitting in the tree in the distance, there were lots of trees on the edge of the small wooded area outside the swamp, the trees were close to the house, but close to invisible after dark.

But she could see something in the tree, as it was adorned with two small green orbs.

Carla moved her head closer, leaning over the balcony a little to get a better look.

"...What is it?" Eric asked, following her line of sight and looking at what she saw. In a low hissing click, Eric produced his fangs.

Carla raised a hand, without looking towards him.

'Wait, Eric' She thought to him.

He glanced down at her and then back at the thing in the tree, which had no obvious outline, only two specs of green.

There was a strange a distinct call, a sound of beating wings and the spots became bigger, as if they were coming towards them.

Eric stiffened.

Carla realised what it was, a moment too late. She flung herself off of the balcony, as the shape that was now visible came barreling off to the side, she had to catch it.

Wrapping her hands around the body, she pulled it to her stomach, rolling herself into a ball around it, waiting for the impact of the floor, as she had jumped clear of the balcony to catch it.

'CARLA!' Eric's voice sprung into her head, screaming at her.

Carla felt the soft arms circle around her, there was a soft hit of the floor, a lot more softer than it should have been.

She opened her eyes, which she had kept tight shut after she had caught the thing in her hands.

She pushed herself up onto her knees, looking down at what was underneath her, there was a soft clicking and snapping sound as Eric coughed up a small amount of blood.

'Eric! Are you okay?' Carla thought to him.

He managed a small nod.

"Healing- Fine..." Eric told her, nodding again, pushing himself up onto his knees. They were on the grass of the garden beneath the balcony of the house.

Carla pulled the thing away from her chest, looking into her palms. There was the small form of a swallow. It's body was thin and bony, it's plumage singed and dirty, the thing was barely alive.

"What is it?" Eric said, spitting the blood out of his mouth onto the grass.

"Not what it appears" Carla said, staring down at it as the bird's eyes blinked rapidly, before the body flashed into green light, spreading from it's eyes down it's body, rushing up into Carla's face, through her eyes.

They rolled back into her head, the body disappearing completely.

Her shoulders going limp.

Eric grabbed her hands as he saw her body relax and become comatose.

The energy shot from Carla into Eric as well, giving him the same vision as her.

* * *

Carla pulled a breath into her lungs, blinking rapidly, looking around she saw where she was, the dungeons, just outside a cell. The bars she was more familiar with than she should have been.

But she wasn't alone, Eric was in front of her, blinking as well, letting out a harsh cough.

"Where are we?" Eric looked around.

"Don't let go of my hands, we're inside a vision" Carla said, "Stand up, slowly and don't let go"

Eric nodded.

They slowly stood up, looking around for what in this vision they should be focusing on.

"Carla..." A voice, only slightly above a whisper.

Eric wheeled around.

Carla saw it straight away, the woman behind the bars, sitting back against the far wall.

"Kiara?" Carla pulled Eric closer to the bars, then through them, as they were only incorporeal, it was simply a vision after all, they easily passed through.

It was Kiara, Carla's sister.

Looking closer, though her face was still in the shade, her body was covered in bloodied clothes, sticking to her skin. Lesions in the cloth revealed deep gashes on her skin and wounds with crusty dry blood clotting them, though their simple depth kept the skin split into a chasm in her flesh.

"Who-?" Eric asked, looking down at the woman.

"Carla, Raymond... you have..." She was cut off by a heaving cough, which brought blood up from her stomach, which she spat out onto the dusty floor of the cell, this could be internal bleeding, if so she didn't have long to live.

"Carla-?" Eric spoke up again.

Carla let go of one of his hands to raise hers, to indicate he should be quiet.

"Wait, it's a vision, she can't hear us, just let her speak" Carla said quickly, trying to avoid speaking over the vision when Kiara began to speak again.

Pulling in a deep breath, Kiara began to speak again.

"Raymond's lost his mind- Some of us tried to start the Torque- He refused- We're all in danger... so much suffering... oh great mother-" Kiara bowed her head, sobbing.

"I never forgot you- I know Mary said you were dead- Said you disappeared into a flash of light- But you're my only hope, our, only hope- Please, I'm begging you-" There was a sudden clatter which cut her off and she looked out of the bars, past them.

"Toos, fah sah toren" She muttered in the old tongue, there was a bright green light, spreading from her hands, outwards and towards them, circling around them, brightening until it was blinding.

Carla closed her eyes instinctively.

"Close your eyes!" Carla ordered.

Eric did so, pulling her to him, keeping a tight grip on her body as if she might slip away.

* * *

A dead silence, only the talking of the crickets around them was audible, causing them both to realise it was over, they slowly opened their eyes.

"What was that?" Eric said, still holding onto her tightly, still not sure that she wasn't going to fade away from his hold, apparently.

"That was a vision, a vision of something that's already happened, from Kiara, my sister" Carla explained, blinking and slowly pulling away from him.

He allowed her, they both say back on their heels for a moment.

"We should go inside, you must be hungry..." Carla spoke up.

Eric blinked and then nodded, as if he had forgotten that he had thrown himself off a balcony and broken several bones as well as suffered some internal injuries that he had had to heal, he was definitely hungry.

He stood up, wrapping a hand around her waist and flying up to the balcony again, putting her down gently there.

Carla rested a hand on his shoulder, pushing him inside first, closing the balcony doors behind her.

Eric stood in the middle of the room.

"Well, are you going to explain that bombshell?" Eric asked.

"What-?" Carla raised an eyebrow at him.

"You have a sister?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Yes, I do, did, maybe still do" Carla said, looking distracted.

"And Raymond, the leader of your group, right. He was in the memory you showed me that time" Eric referenced the time he was waiting for the authority to execute him, or so he thought, in his office, the memory walk they had shared.

"Yes, well maybe I should get this out there now, he's my father" Carla said, shrugging it off almost straight away.

Eric looked down at her, as if she had been lying to him about everything, as if she was a huge disappointment to him.

"Eric, don't be fucking ridiculous, I just never thought to tell you, don't you wonder why he tried so hard to bring me back?" Carla raised her arms.

"I did wonder, really" Eric shrugged and sighed. "What're we doing, then?" He asked.

"We? No, no. There's no we. I'm going back to the barrier, it's been too long. I've had enough of running, this isn't your issue, really, you should stay here and look after the company" Carla said, pulling off her dress and heading over to the wardrobe, pulling out a pair of black jeans, a T-shirt and leather jacket.

While she was dressing he continued to speak.

"Carla, are you not understanding what we are, are you overlooking what we have? We are an us, that is what this relationship is, an us, we do things, together" Eric vamped in front of her as she finished pulling the jacket onto her shoulders.

He grabbed her shoulders, looking down into her face.

"We're doing this together" Eric told, nay, ordered her.

"The barrier is no place for a vampire, simply bringing you inside, a child of death, would be a heinous crime in the eyes of the mother" Carla explained, narrowing her eyes, not backing down. She knew him joining her was a terrible idea.

"You've been letting this child of death into your panties for the last four years. I'll be fucking damned if I'm going to let you go back to that place on your own, you and I became an US for a reason" Eric said again, never dropping the authority from his voice.

"Then who's going to look after the business?" Carla asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Pam can handle it, I just have to say the word" Eric said simply.

"Willa'll have to help then, she's learnt business and economics, she'll be useful, plus she owes me a favour" Carla added.

Eric nodded in agreement.

"Plus, don't you think that the 'Mother' would have retracted your powers if she really disagreed that vehemently" Eric asked.

Cara thought for a moment, in fact, he was right.

"Probably" Carla shrugged.

"Right, we leave tomorrow night then. I need to speak with Pam and you with Willa" Eric decided.

"I better tell Sookie I won't make it tomorrow" Carla shrugged.

Eric nodded, heading out of the room and across to his office.

Carla headed over to the bathroom, turning on the light, she washed her face in the sink, cooling herself off.

But she noticed something on her palm...

Pulling it away from her face, next to the other unchanged hand, she saw on it a rune, green, the colour all her other markings were before they sink in and become invisible.

"Kiara" She read it out loud, letting out a sigh.

She traced the rune, moving her lips slowly, reciting the rune over and over again, the traced line around, it was slowly overtaken by the glow.

"I'm coming" she said into it, the glowing intensified for a moment and then faded.

Hopefully her message got through, Kiara was still alive then, if she could maintain the rune, she must be on the other end.

Her specialization was dominance and kinship, she could create life, if only momentarily and also control certain animals, smaller beings, birds, mice, some smaller deer.

In this case, that was useful.

Her secondary specialization was rune sage, hence the rune, which was simply for communication.

She was actually heading back, after so long, she was going back home.

But Carla feared that her home was no longer a home, more like a prison and for more than just her.

"I'm coming back, Kiara, just don't die before I get there" She spoke down into the rune.

It flashed back at her.

* * *

**I'd just like to take this moment to thank you all, every single one of you, the silent ones, the ones who shared what they thought, the ones who read each chapter, came back every week, those who came back every couple of chapters. Every single one of you, you're all the reason I wrote this story, and I am honoured that so many of you enjoyed it.**

**This is the final chapter in this story and so this story is complete. However, I *may continue from where I left off. Currently I have lots of IRL stuff to deal with, and as you can tell by the gap between this last chapter and this one coming out, I only just got time to finish this chapter. Sorry for the wait, but I am very busy.**

**As ever, please feel free to post your views, if you wish and do tell me if you want a sequel. I like to hear what you guys think, after all.**

**Anyway, thank you all, again, feel free to ask me any questions in the reviews you'd like. I will PM you back with the answer, or if I get a lot of the same question I will update this chapter with the answers.**

**Until next time, maybe, of course, have a great day, love to you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed!**

**-Shad out**

**(*If I get time, and if I can write enough to fill a story with content, also if you guys want one!)**


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